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NEW BUSINESS <br />Ordinance Nos. 2941 and 2942 Regulating Termination of Residential Tenancies <br />City Attorney Abich Garcia summarized Urgency Ordinance No. 2941 and Ordinance No. 2942, <br />adding Chapter 9.38 to Article 9 of the Redlands Municipal Code regulating the termination of <br />residential tenancies due to demolition or substantial remodel. The key points of the <br />ordinances include the following: The property owner must obtain all permits related to <br />demolition or substantial remodel of a rental unit prior to issuing a notice of eviction to a <br />tenant(s); The notice of eviction must include a copy of the permits and an explanation: 1) of the <br />scope of the work; 2) why the work cannot be reasonably accomplished in a safe manner with <br />the tenant in place; and 3) why the work requires the tenant to vacate the premises for a least 30 <br />days; When the owner issues a notice of eviction for demolition or substantial remodel, the <br />owner is required to provide relocation assistance in the amount of two (2) months' rent or <br />$4,500, whichever is greater, to the tenant within 15 calendar days of the notice of eviction; and <br />lastly, if the owner is found by a civil court to have intentionally violated these regulations, the <br />owner will be liable for up to $15,000 and/or attorneys' fees to each tenant as determined by the <br />court. <br />As public comment, Tarun pointed out landlords already have protection under the law, but he <br />thanked the City for their responsiveness. John and Justin Weekley were not in favor of splitting <br />the relocation payments and said renters needed the money up front to secure a new rental unit. <br />Andy Hoder asked for clarification about the waiver versus relocation payment Ahmed saw the <br />ordinance as a win/win for both parties. Cray Carlson, a commercial real estate broker, was <br />opposed to asking landlords to pay relocation assistance payments as it penalized the owner and <br />potentially added up to $10,000 to $15,000 in extra costs. Joe Shipley was concerned about the <br />overall harm done by making it more expensive to renovate a rental unit, adding he thought it <br />would cause future tenants to pay higher rent and could make Redlands less attractive to <br />investors. <br />Council Members restated their views as presented during the August 2, 2022 special <br />meeting. Mayor Barich desired to protect both the property owner and the tenant and suggested <br />the Council consider revising the language related to the relocation payment. He <br />recommended splitting the amount in two, with the first payment of $2,250 due to the tenant <br />within 15 days of the eviction notice and the second payment due when the tenant vacated the <br />premises and returned the key. He said the changes would add necessary protections for a <br />property owner in the event a tenant refused to vacate the premises. Council Members offered <br />their opinions and considered the advantages and disadvantages of splitting the payments in half. <br />As a compromise, Mayor Pro Tem Tejeda proposed the first payment of two-thirds (2/3) of the <br />rental assistance be paid to the tenant within 15 calendar days of the notice of eviction and the <br />second payment of one-third (1/3) of the rental assistance be paid when the tenant vacated the <br />residential real property. It was agreed by a majority of the Council to accept the revisions as <br />proposed by Mayor Pro Tem Tejeda. <br />Special CC_August 4, 2022 <br />Page 3 <br />