Concord Rent Stabilization, Just Cause For Eviction Ordinance Takes Effect

CONCORD, CA — The City of Concord’s Rent Stabilization and Just Cause for Eviction ordinance, which the City Council adopted on March 5, went into effect Friday, April 19, following a brief pause as some residents tried to gather enough signatures to place a referendum on the November ballot.

On Thursday, the proponent notified the city they were withdrawing the referendum request because they failed to gather the required number of valid signatures —7,204 — by the April 18 deadline. As a result, the ordinance went into effect Friday.

In January 2023, the City Council expressed its desire to enact tenant protections, reiterating that goal in Concord’s Housing Element. The City Council held eight public meetings on the topic and heard from dozens of property owners and tenants.

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Summary Of Ordinance

The ordinance amendsConcord Municipal Code Chapter 19.40 Residential Tenant Protection Program, increases the "just cause" for eviction protections, expands the City’s rent registry, and establishes a rent stabilization program — capping annual rent increases at the lesser of 3 percent or 60 percent of CPI for multi-family rental complexes of two or more units built before Feb. 1, 1995, and mobile homes that are rented out.

The following types of housing are exempt from Rent Stabilization but subject to Just-Cause for Evictions: single-family homes and certain condominiums; units exempted by state or federal law, including the Costa Hawkins Act; affordable housing units restricted by the city/other governmental agency to very low, low or moderate-income tenants if any are subject to (i) enforceable annual 5 percent rent caps or (ii) for certified over income tenants rent increases up to 30 percent of the household monthly income so long as state law caps are not exceeded.

Under the just cause eviction protections, tenants can only be evicted for an "at-fault" reason or a "no-fault" reason, which includes owner move-ins, the Ellis Act, compliance with government orders or the intent to demolish/substantially remodel the unit.

Only "no-fault" just-cause evictions can trigger relocation payments and moving stipends for single-family homes or condominiums. For permanent relocations, relocation assistance of two months of the tenant’s then-current rent plus a moving stipend of $2,000. There is no payment for temporary relocations.

For all other units, permanent relocation assistance is three times the HUD FMR Rent for the most similar unit type based on the number of bedrooms —one additional month if any lower-income tenant, disabled tenant, senior tenant, terminally ill tenant, and any tenant whose household contains school-aged children lives in the unit —plus a moving stipend of $3,000. For temporary relocations, per diem payments, or —at the Landlord’s election — temporary housing.

View the complete ordinance below:

See more information here.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Concord Citizens File Referendum Petition
• Concord City Council Moves Forward With Rent Stabilization Ordinance
• Concord City Council To Consider Rent Stabilization, Just Cause For Eviction
• Concord To Revisit Rent Stabilization Plan Tuesday
• Renter Protection Policy Additions On Concord City Council Agenda
• Concord Rent Registry Program Approved To Track Rentals