AgdaPkt 2018-08-27 Joint SA PFA - Laserfiche WebLink

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manager that no one can live in areas where construction had occurred without permits. The property manager agreed to comply with this requirement. While this situation generated numerous inquiries, the practice of renting out rooms is not uncommon, particularly in light of the regional housing crisis. Given the number of concerns expressed recently, several City Councilmembers requested that this item be placed on a Council agenda for discussion. ANALYSIS Buildinq Code Requlations The City of Redwood City has numerous regulations that pertain to single-family homes and other residential buildings. First, the City has an adopted building code, which is generally consistent with the building code in other California cities. The Building Code requires that a building permit be obtained for most construction activity, and that the work be completed to certain standards. When work that requires a permit is done without a permit, and the City becomes aware of this, a code enforcement case is opened, and property owner is required to obtain the necessary permits and complete the work to code. Zoninq Ordinance and Municipal Code Requlations The City also has regulations that can be found with the Zoning Ordinance and Municipal Code. These range from how large a home can be, how many people can live in a home (generally regulated through the Health and Safety Code), how many parking spaces must be located onsite, the number of days a home may be rented as a short - terms rental (e.g., Air BnB), and other related regulations. The City also has adopted renter protections such as minimum lease terms and relocation requirements. The City does not, however, have an ordinance that further regulates lease details and the landlord/tenant relationship. In fact, most cities do not, as it can be problematic, both from a legal standpoint and from a practical enforcement standpoint. For those reasons, cities typically do not have such ordinances, despite the fact that issues with room rentals are not new, and have been a part of the housing market for generations. In the past decades people posted rooms for rent on fliers on telephone poles, and more recently people have found rooms via Craigslist.com. Nonetheless, staff can explore possible policy solutions for the Council if desired. Next Steps At the August 27, 2018 City Council meeting, staff will seek City Council direction on whether to conduct further research on possible approaches to address some or all of