Long Beach City Council Approves Amendments to City’s “Just Cause” Eviction Ordinance – Most Restric

At the Long Beach City Council’s last meeting of the year, on December 7^th, the Council directed city staff to draft an ordinance amending the City’s “Just Cause” ordinance. The City Council was presented with three options including one extremely concerning option that would have prohibited all tenancy terminations based on substantial remodel and the creation of a Tenant Habitability Program which city staff estimated would cost $2 million annually. This option was rejected by the City Council.

Following public comment and Council deliberation, the City Council directed staff to draft an ordinance including the following:

• Imposition of civil fines of up to $15,000 on rental housing providers who have been adjudicated in violation of the “just cause” ordinance’s substantial remodel tenancy termination notice provisions.
• Require property owners to notify the City when construction work will result in a “no-fault” tenancy termination based on substantial remodel and require City Staff to track such information and send out housing navigators to assist displaced renters.
• Require issuance of a 90-day notice to vacate for any “no-fault” just cause tenancy termination.
• Increase permanent relocation fees to $4,500 or two-months’ rent, whichever is greater.

City staff were also directed to report back within approximately one year by providing the first years’ worth of data relative to this matter.

Due to our strong advocacy efforts, the most concerning options which would have resulted in the creation of an expensive, administrative bureaucracy and problematic definitional changes were rejected by the City Council. These rejected options would have discouraged vital rehabilitation to the City’s predominately aging housing stock.

It is important to note that the City’s temporary prohibition on tenancy terminations for substantial remodel, adopted in July 2021, was extended until February 28, 2022, and may be further extended if necessary, pending the City Council’s adoption of the proposed ordinance.

The Association will continue to strongly advocate for our members interests, review the draft ordinance once available and provide updates.