Chapter 14.08
TENANT DISPLACEMENT AND RELOCATION FEES
Sections:
14.08.030 Relocation assistance.
14.08.050 Tenant notification.
14.08.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide relocation assistance to tenants facing eviction due to demolition or removal of their building, condominium conversion or other land use changes affecting residential rental property, including mobile home and trailer parks. (Prior code § 12-1.201)
14.08.020 Definitions.
For purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise apparent from the context, the following definitions shall apply:
“Landlord” means an owner, lessor or sublessor (including any person, firm, corporation, partnership, or other entity) who receives or is entitled to receive rent for the use of any rental unit, or the agent, representative or successor of any of the foregoing.
“Rental unit” means a dwelling unit together with the land and building appurtenant thereto, and all housing services, privileges, furnishings and facilities supplied in connection with the use or occupancy thereof, including garage and parking facilities.
“Tenant” means a tenant, subtenant, lessee, sublessee, or any other person legally entitled to use or occupancy of a rental unit. (Prior code § 12-1.202)
14.08.030 Relocation assistance.
In every case involving the demolition or removal of a multifamily residential rental facility, or a condominium conversion or other land use change affecting residential rental property, including mobile home and trailer parks, and the tenants therein, are facing eviction due to such demolition, removal, conversion, or change, no required permits or approvals shall be issued unless and until the landlord submits to the city planner proof of payment of a relocation fee in the amount of three thousand dollars per rental unit to assist in the relocation of the tenants. (Ord. 1848 § 3, 2023; Ord. 1847 § 3, 2023; Prior code § 12-1.203)
14.08.040 Exceptions.
The following are exceptions to the provisions of this chapter:
A. Projects involving one single-family dwelling;
B. Housing accommodations in hotels, motels, inns, tourist homes and boardinghouses and roominghouses; provided, that at such time as an accommodation has been occupied by one or more of the same tenants for sixty days or more such accommodations shall become a rental unit subject to the provisions of this section;
C. Housing accommodations in any hospital, convent, monastery, extended medical care facility, asylum, nonprofit home for the aged, or fraternity or sorority house or housing accommodations owned, operated, or managed by an institution of higher education, a high school, or an elementary school for occupancy by its students;
D. Housing accommodations which a government unit, agency, or authority owns, operates, or manages or which are specifically exempted from municipal rent regulations by state or federal laws or administrative regulations;
E. Demolition required by the city or other public agency for health or safety reasons. (Prior code § 12-1.204)
14.08.050 Tenant notification.
A. Applications for demolition or removal, condominium conversion or other land use changes affecting residential rental property, including mobile home parks, shall be accompanied by a notarized statement from the applicant that each tenant on the property has been notified by registered or certified mail of the application and notice of the relocation assistance provisions of this chapter. The statement shall include the name and address of each notified tenant.
B. Any person who becomes a tenant of a multifamily dwelling or a mobile home park after the date of such application, shall be given written notice of the pendency of the application prior to entering into any written or oral rental agreement, but shall not be eligible to receive relocation assistance.
C. A rebuttable presumption shall exist that a tenant who is evicted from the premises within six months prior to the date of application was evicted in contemplation of such application and is therefore eligible to receive the required assistance. (Ord. 1848 § 3, 2023; Ord. 1847 § 3, 2023; Prior code § 12-1.205)
14.08.060 Payment schedule.
The relocation assistance specified in this chapter shall be provided as follows:
The landlord shall pay each eligible tenant the required relocation assistance not later than the date the tenant is required to vacate the premises. (Prior code § 12-1.206)