Goleta City Council Adopts Stronger Tenant Protections

Urgency Tenant Protection Ordinance in Effect Immediately

Renters in the City of Goleta now have better protection from evictions, “renoviction,” housing displacement and homelessness. At last night’s December 19th Council meeting, the Council adopted a Tenant Protections Urgency Ordinance that puts into place immediately new regulations for renters in the City, which are more protective than State law. This will limit the cases where tenants can be evicted and, in the event they are evicted, will give them more rights. The Council also directed staff to conduct further research and return to a Council meeting in the near future with a Non-Urgency Ordinance to present options and gather additional public comment.

Mayor Paula Perotte said, “It is unacceptable and deplorable when individuals and families are displaced by suddenly announced evictions in the name of renovations. This important renoviction issue really struck home with the recent evictions of residents in over 250 units at three apartment complexes in neighboring Isla Vista, and at a four-unit complex in Goleta.”

Peter Imhof, Planning and Environmental Review Director, said, “The new protections will serve to reduce the risk and impacts of residential displacement in the City, as well as prevent homelessness.”

The new tenant protections include the following:

• Just-cause requirement for termination of residential tenancies.
• Noticing and relocation assistance requirements for termination of residential tenancies.
• Mandatory offer of a one-year lease to new and existing residential tenants.
• Mandatory right of first refusal for tenants in certain circumstances to return to a rental unit they previously vacated.

For example, landlords claiming substantial remodels as the reason for tenant evictions must now obtain permits for the renovation, provide the tenant with a written notice including copies of the permits, scope of work, and explanation of why tenant vacancy must be 30 days or more, and submit a copy of the notice to the City’s Planning and Environmental Review Department.

The ordinance contains exemptions for certain types of housing, such as units created in the last 15 years and single-family residences that meet exemption criteria. The regulations do not contain or amend the annual rent-increase limits under State law.

Nearby jurisdictions have also adopted stricter tenant protections, including City of Santa Barbara, City of Carpinteria, and County of Santa Barbara.

View the Tenant Protection Urgency Ordinance here.

The meeting is available to watch on the City website at http://tinyurl.com/36cpx36u (item E.1).

For questions on tenant protections, please contact City of Goleta Senior Housing Analyst Lucy Graham at (805) 961-7546 orLGraham@cityofgoleta.org.