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Attachment D - SUMMARY OF RIGHT TO RETURN FOCUS GROUPS <br />Meeting Details Feedback Received <br />Focus Group with <br />representatives from Legal <br />Aid Society of San Mateo <br />County (Legal Aid) and <br />Community Legal Services <br />in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA) <br /> <br />July 10, 2025, 3PM <br />Virtual <br /> <br />Attendees: <br />• David Carducci, Directing <br />Attorney, Legal Aid Society <br />of San Mateo County <br /> <br />• Keith Ogden, Managing <br />Attorney, Community <br />Legal Services in East Palo <br />Alto (CLSEPA) <br /> <br />• Katie Goetz, Alma <br />Montalvo, and Kate <br />Hiester, Housing and <br />Human Concerns <br />Committee Tenant <br />Protection Ad-Hoc <br />Subcommittee <br /> <br />• Victor Gaitan and Alin <br />Lancaster, City Staff <br /> <br /> <br />Rental Rate Options <br />• Opposition to the landlord determining the rent amount when a tenant <br />returns to a unit, as without some form of limitation on the rental rate, a <br />right to return policy would have no impact for tenants that are most <br />vulnerable <br />• Support for the Tenant Protection Act (TPA) increase option, in which a <br />tenant would return with the rent prior to the substantial remodel plus <br />any increase(s) allowed by the TPA, had the tenant continuously <br />occupied the unit <br />• Agreement with the City’s rationale for the options that were considered <br />but not recommended <br /> <br />Rental Terms Options <br />• Noted that State laws already provide strict guidance for rental <br />agreement terms. Should clarify that leases must comply with State law <br />• Recommended option to return with new lease terms, but with language <br />that ensures the new lease terms don’t increase costs (e.g., utilities, <br />etc.) or prohibit a renter from returning to the unit <br /> <br />Notification Options <br />• Recommended a 60-day minimum timeline for tenants to reoccupy the <br />unit after notifying the landlord of their intent to return. Noted this is <br />reasonable considering tenants must provide their current landlord at <br />least 30-days’ notice <br />• Recommended that tenants should demonstrate some sort of <br />commitment to returning to a unit (e.g., signing a lease, paying a <br />deposit) <br /> <br />Other comments <br />• Supportive of adding a right to return provision <br />• Recommended requiring that the substantial remodel must be <br />“necessary” <br />• Recommended temporary relocation as an alternative option <br /> <br />Relocation Assistance Ordinance Process Options <br />• Recommended that City staff should decide the process options <br /> <br />9.A. - Page 61 of 84 <br />166