Dear Valued Community Members and Partners:

 

Included in this email are links to the draft Ellis Act Ordinance and Tenant Protection Ordinance. The City Council directed the Department of Housing to develop these Ordinances when they voted to amend the Apartment Rent Ordinance in April and May of 2016. The ordinances released today have intersections with the Apartment Rent Ordinance. Staff anticipates releasing a draft of the fully modified ARO for public comment later this Spring.

 

The draft ordinances were written with input collected in several meetings by the public and from interested stakeholders, a review of programs and ordinances in other cities, and a thorough legal review.

 

The draft ordinances are available on our website and linked below. The Housing Department welcomes written feedback on these recommendations. The 45-day comment period for these recommendations will close at 5:00pm on Friday, March 3, 2017. Comments on the preliminary recommendations will be taken into consideration prior to the final ordinances being prepared for the City Council. Comments received from the public will be compiled and uploaded weekly to our website. 

 

The Ellis Act Ordinance creates a process that must be followed when a property owner is deciding to no longer rent their rental property and evict all tenants. This ordinance creates a uniform process and timeline for notifying tenants of this change, as well as relocation benefits that must be provided to impacted tenants. To comment on this draft ordinance, please email [email protected].

 

The Tenant Protection Ordinance was originally titled the "Anti-Retaliation and Protection Ordinance." This ordinance provides protections from eviction for tenants experiencing poor living conditions because of actions or behaviors exhibited by a property owner or manager. To comment on this draft ordinance, please email [email protected].

 

Please provide written comments on each ordinance separately to the email addresses listed above or mail to the address below.

 

Deadline to submit written comments: Friday, March 3, 2017, 5:00pm

 

You can also mail comments to: City of San José Housing Department, C/O Rachel VanderVeen, 200 E. Santa Clara Street - 12th Floor, San José, CA 95113.
 

Upcoming Public Meetings

Meeting information for additional community workshops is listed below. The purpose for these meetings is to help members understand the nuts-and-bolts of each ordinance.
 

 

Housing & Community Development Commission

Thursday, March 9, 2017 -- 5:45pm

City Hall Wing Rooms 118-120

200 E. Santa Clara Street, San José

Underground parking provided. Enter on 6th Street.

 

The Housing & Community Development Commission will receive a presentation on the two draft ordinances and will take public comment. 

 

If you have general questions regarding this process, please contact Rachel VanderVeen at 408-535-8321 or [email protected].

 

To request an accommodation for this meeting or an alternative format for any related printed materials, please contact Sara Wright at 408-975-4454 or [email protected] or 408-294-9337 (TTY) as soon as possible, but at least three business days before the meeting.

 

We hope you will continue to join us as we work together on this important issue.   

 

Jacky Morales-Ferrand

Director, Housing Department