Oakland continues to be a laboratory in new tenant protections
On June 29, Oakland’s Economic Development Committee did some soul searching in deciding whether to give a nod to proposed amendments that would add even more teeth to current rent and eviction controls. In the end, the consensus among EDC members was that initiatives designed to protect tenants during the pandemic should move forward.
The proposed ordinance was advanced and will now fall into the lap of a full City Council when lawmakers convene on July 14.
The ideas floated around:
(1) Limit The Maximum Rent Increase In Any One Year To Conform To State Law;
(2) Make Failure To Pay Required Relocation Benefits An Affirmative Defense To Eviction;
(3) Limit Late Fees;
(4) Prohibit Unilaterally Imposed Changes To Terms Of Tenancy;
(5) Add One-For-One Replacement Of Roommates To The Definition Of Housing Services;
(6) Prohibit Eviction Based On Additional Occupants If Landlord Unreasonably Refused Tenant’s Written Request To Add Occupant(S); And
(7) Strengthen Tenants’ Rights And Enforcement Of Tenants’ Rights Under The Tenant Protection Ordinance
Rental property owners were well represented in the forum, with many mom and pop landlords calling in to tell their heartfelt stories about hardship they faced and how regulations being considered would decimate their rental business.
For any of you who think that lengthy city council meetings are tedious or reserved for policy wonks, we ask you to have an open mind and listen to some of the moving comments made by responsible rental property owners. The forum reveals several telling stories and arguments against onerous new rules.
Although the Committee has said this conversation is worth continuing, we are encouraged that the voices of landlords have been heard in shaping this dialog. We have been told by Council staffers that an “equity analysis” will be conducted to measure the impact of proposed regulations on both tenants and property owners and we take them at their word.
In this exercise we call democracy, several other concerns percolated and there have been solutions bounced around from both the landlords and tenants camps. Bornstein Law will continue to follow the developments in Oakland and will refrain from any commentary until this process works itself out. Suffice it to say that any stakeholders should contact their elected officials and chime in.
More perspective
