AgdaPkt 2025.10.13 Joint SA PFA - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Page 10 of 15 City of Redwood City 1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA. 94063 Tel: 650-780-7000 www.redwoodcity.org Right to Return HHCC Recommendation As noted above, the idea of establishing a right to return policy was raised during a latter phase of the ADS development process. A right to return policy would require landlords to offer tenants the first right to return to a unit after a substantial remodel5 has been completed6. While this provision would likely only affect a small subset of terminations in the City, it would serve as an additional tool to further mitigate displacement of Redwood City residents. On August 26, 2025, following up on focus group meetings held in July 2025, the HHCC Tenant Protection Ad Hoc Subcommittee presented their right to return recommendations to the full HHCC. See Attachment D for the focus group summary and Attachment E for a memorandum on the Ad Hoc Subcommittee’s right to return recommendations. The HHCC recommended (6-0) that the City Council adopt a right to return policy that requires the landlord to re-offer the rental unit under specific conditions: 1) priced at the rental rate that was in effect when the tenancy was terminated plus any increase(s) allowed by the TPA, had the tenant continuously occupied the rental unit, and 2) with a lease that contains the same terms as the lease that was in effect at the time the tenancy was terminated, except for any changes to terms required by state law. The HHCC also recommended an overall timeline of 60 days for the tenant to accept the offer and move back into the unit. Should the City Council decide to proceed with the right to return policy in which the landlord sets the rental rate, the HHCC recommended to not include any right to return provision in the TPO. Establishing a right to return policy without establishing a cap on the rents would not mitigate the displacement that the right to return policy seeks to address and, instead, would create a potentially unnecessary administrative burden for landlords and staff. Right to Return Policy Considerations for the City Council There are several policy considerations to balance when evaluating whether to adopt a right to return policy, as noted below. Attachment F provides an analysis for each of the considerations identified below. 1.Legal Feasibility – Ensuring the policy is legally sound and consistent with state and federal law. 5 In alignment with the TPA, a substantial remodel is a remodel requires the tenant to vacate the unit for at least 30 days and must involve either: 1. The replacement or substantial modification of any structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical system that requires a permit; or 2. The abatement of hazardous materials, including lead-based paint, mold, or asbestos Cosmetic improvement or other work that can be performed safely without having the unit vacated, do no qualify as a substantial remodel. 6 A unit that is substantially remodeled is considered “completed” and ready for re-occupancy when either: 1. A final building permit inspection has been conducted and approved by City building department staff; or 2.A letter from the licensed contractor that completed the substantial remodel work certifying that the work in complete and the unit is ready for re-occupancy is submitted to the City. 9.A. - Page 10 of 84 115