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Page 2 of 9 <br />City of Redwood City 1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA. 94063 Tel: 650-780-7000 www.redwoodcity.org <br />BACKGROUND <br />In 2018 the City adopted the Minimum Lease Terms Ordinance (MLTO) and Relocation Assistance <br />Ordinance (RAO) to provide tenants with greater stability and assist displaced low-income tenants. <br />However, an evaluation in late 2020, revealed the RAO was pre-empted by the California Tenant <br />Protection Act of 2019 (TPA). The TPA went into effect on January 1, 2020, making the City’s RAO <br />unenforceable. <br />In June 2022, the City Council adopted the Anti Displacement Strategy (ADS), which recommended <br />adopting ordinance amendments to revise the minimum lease terms and relocation assistance <br />requirements and add just cause eviction protections to make the City’s relocation assistance <br />requirements enforceable again. Following three years of research, outreach, and input from the City <br />Council, staff developed a comprehensive Tenant Protection Ordinance (TPO) which includes updated <br />requirements for minimum lease terms and relocation assistance, and adds just cause for eviction <br />protections and a right to return after completion of a substantial remodel. The City Council adopted the <br />TPO on November 10, 2025, and the ordinance went into effect on January 1, 2026. <br />The TPO contains many of the same protections and requirements as the State TPA but differs in the <br />following ways 1) does not include rent stabilization, 2) requires minimum lease terms, 3) requires the <br />right to return following substantial remodel, and 4) requires greater relocation assistance for low-income <br />and special circumstances tenants. A more detailed comparison of the State TPA and TPO is included as <br />Attachment B. <br />Implementation Update <br />Since the TPO was adopted, the City has conducted a series of outreach and education efforts including <br />three in-person and three online community workshops (all in English and Spanish) as well as four <br />trainings for City staff. As of April 15, 2026, the City received six no-fault termination notices, processed <br />two relocation assistance applications, and fielded 26 inquiries. Throughout implementation, the City has <br />also regularly referred tenants and landlords to Project Sentinel for assistance. Attachment C includes a <br />detailed overview of implementation data. <br />ANALYSIS <br />The TPO specifies that the City Manager may promulgate regulations implementing the provisions of the <br />TPO and adopt guidelines for determining the fair rate of return appeals process. Considering feedback <br />received from the public and direction from the City Council during the adoption of the TPO, the initial <br />administrative regulations and guidelines are being brought to the City Council for review. The City <br />Manager has the authority to adopt the regulations and approve any future updates to the administrative <br />regulations and guidelines. <br />Administrative Regulations <br />The TPO Administrative Regulations (Attachment D) were created to provide greater detail on specific <br />procedures, processes, and requirements under the TPO. In addition to the development of the <br />administrative regulations, the City has procured software to assist with the following functions. <br />8.A. - Page 2 of 85 <br />260