To protect tenants from soaring rents and arbitrary evictions, Concord City Council has voted 4-1 to introduce a sweeping rent stabilization and just cause for eviction ordinance. Despite opposition from Councilmember Hoffmeister, the council's decision paves the way for significant changes in the city's housing policies, as reported by the City of Concord's official announcement.
These policy changes have been in the pipeline since January 2023, when the Council intended to cushion the tenant community against displacement. February 13th's vote follows a series of seven public meetings where hundreds of voices – property owners and tenants – were heard. The ordinance is detailed in its approach to preventing unwarranted rent hikes and evictions. It specifically exempts rented single-family homes, condominium units, and accessory dwelling units from rent stabilization, while it applies to multi-family complexes built before February 1, 1995.
Rent increases will be limited to 3% or 60% of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is lower, with the provision that starting-of-occupancy rents remain uncontrolled. In an update on February 13, the council also approved a "rent rollback" feature that aligns rent charges to April 4, 2023, with a permissible 2.52% increase for the 2023 calendar year. The ordinance outlines a petition process for tenants to challenge rent increases and for property owners to argue for higher increases, a process that, following an update, can be bypassed in favor of direct court lawsuits.
The just cause component of the ordinance applies to most rented units in Concord but excludes rented accessory dwelling units. It distinguishes between at-fault evictions, like non-payment of rent or creation of a nuisance, and no-fault evictions, where the tenant isn't to blame, such as owner move-ins or substantial rehabilitation needs. In a notable update, the ordinance allows owners to move out before the mandated 24 months in cases of "Significant Hardship." Another updated provision dictates substantial relocation assistance for tenants facing no-fault evictions, contingent on unit size and tenant circumstances, like age or disability.
Following the 30-day grace period post-final adoption, landlords and tenants alike in Concord will navigate a new landscape defined by this ordinance aimed at achieving equilibrium in a tumultuous housing market.
