[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6623361,"mediaKeyId","2771712-f00fe0422e31039c73bd579dfd566841","parentId",2771712,"title","Oxnard committee forwards changes to just‑cause rules but asks staff to rework rent‑increase petition regulations","audioSeconds",779,"startMs",6395000,"endMs",7174000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2771712-f00fe0422e31039c73bd579dfd566841&start=6395&end=7174","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2771712-f00fe0422e31039c73bd579dfd566841/thumbnail_6395000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6623361/Oxnard-City/Ventura-County/California/Oxnard-committee-forwards-changes-to-justcause-rules-but-asks-staff-to-rework-rentincrease-petition-regulations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6623361-af2d6a6f09bdc81bc7a5e360c7f406b3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194462&Signature=cY9dMyT7LJaTfBTrXRPUUeq-2YcVzU5BilBl9UiZ5oFIWaSkV5RwpC2PF74lUf~2jwC5Gj9JyPzfo5n39Uu~5lMQlJ-SsWJC3HmxNCtRI8ZO32iPpOCka-m6akEMfbfVOeEaAhizkdXtyCVNgdldmEeS5gM3gklzVOPlU4Y48jIEQ~U-LXsn-65ihOvXkj5IJbdEX5x2SIQ9c5JF5wTMyigQXaZtLTpqB~aIgDkL~U0j3irH1mhiRgG64mcit7Yk6nKSHcVUyoXXemdmhODdaLnC5NRaJ86HscAspoNxC1VvzhGuEBZl23Vu45lGZyd884m7lQvsfDW1a4ZJhdqGRQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author"," City of Oxnard","date","2025-03-26T06:42:28.92Z","article","The Oxnard Community Services Public Safety and Housing Development Committee on March 25 recommended several ordinance amendments and administrative regulations to implement the city’s Just Cause Evictions and Rent Stabilization ordinances, and asked staff to return a disputed set of petition rules for further stakeholder work (committee vote 3–0).

Staff told the committee the proposed changes are intended to close processing gaps staff has encountered since the just‑cause rules took effect in 2022 and to give clarity to owners, tenants and staff on items including tenant substitution, owner move‑in timelines, registration and an administrative fee framework. Assistant City Manager or Housing staff described proposed edits to replace‑tenant rules, align affidavit timelines, and create a registration process that would enable any future program fee.

The committee approved sending the ordinance amendments and several of the administrative rules (Exhibits A, C and D in staff materials) to the City Council, while asking staff to revisit Exhibit B (the owner petition for a fair return) with additional input from stakeholders before returning it to the committee.

Why staff proposed changes: Housing staff said certain provisions are causing inconsistent outcomes and administrative burdens. For example, staff proposed that when a tenant listed on a lease vacates, replacements could be allowed on a one‑for‑one basis provided the owner may object; staff said the change aims to avoid terminating the remaining tenants’ tenancies when a roommate leaves. Staff also recommended aligning notice and affidavit deadlines for owner reoccupancy to the same timeframe and adding registration language so the city can reliably contact property owners and later assess program fees if the council chooses.

The draft regulations address multiple technical points that prompted debate. Exhibit B—staff’s proposed process for a landlord to petition for a “fair return” if the 4% annual cap prevents a viable return—generated the most comments. Outside counsel Stephen Lewis and staff explained the petition mechanism exists because courts require rent‑stabilization regimes to allow a path for owners to seek constitutionally required fair returns. Lewis said the proposed exhibit uses a base‑year comparison and net operating income methodology that mirrors approaches used by other jurisdictions and case law; he also said time limits in the ordinance constrain how elaborate the hearing process can be unless the ordinance is amended.

Stakeholders urged changes or caution. The Ventura Coastal Association of Realtors and several private property managers argued for clearer data and a broader fee study before the city adopts any fee or relies on a one‑month Craigslist snapshot. Property managers asked that substitutions be allowed only when an original tenant remains on the lease or when a new occupant is demonstrably qualified to pay rent. Tenant groups and advocates urged stronger tenant protections for no‑fault displacements and described examples where tenants said they faced harassment after exercising their rights.

Several legal questions were raised during discussion: the interaction with the Costa‑Hawkins Rental Housing Act for single‑family exemptions, application of the Ellis Act for property withdrawals (including recording requirements when an owner withdraws under state law), and how state law (Civil Code §1954) governs landlord entries and notice. Committee and staff also discussed practical timelines in the regulations; multiple commenters and a former city staffer proposed lengthening some deadlines and adding reasonable extension language to avoid “unworkable” timeframes.

Fiscal and administrative notes: Staff confirmed that the city currently has no dedicated staffing funded to administer a new anti‑harassment enforcement program and that the registration and fee program would require system investment. Staff said the fee and any per‑unit charge would be determined through a separate fee study and additional public outreach; the item considered by committee would only insert the authority to adopt fees into the code where it was missing.

Outcome and next steps: The committee voted 3–0 to forward the ordinance amendments and most administrative regulations to City Council, and directed staff to continue stakeholder discussions and return Exhibit B (fair return petition regulations) to the committee for further review. Staff estimated the ordinance and regulations would return to Council for action after stakeholder review and required sunshine‑period notice; staff suggested a likely council hearing would be in May. The committee also asked staff to add extension language to several petition timelines and to continue efforts to make registration materials user friendly for single‑family owners and small landlords.

Ending: Committee members said they wanted a stable, implementable set of rules that protects tenants while avoiding unintended burdens on long‑term small landlords; they approved the committee’s motion 3–0 and closed the item with direction to staff.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Comm. Services, Public Safety, and Housing & Development Committee Meeting - 3/25/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Oxnard Community Services Public Safety and Housing Development Committee on March 25 approved forwarding ordinance amendments and most administrative regulations related to Just Cause evictions and rent stabilization to City Council, but asked staff to rework the owner “fair return” petition regulations and return them to the committee for more stakeholder review (3–0).","taxTitle","Oxnard City, Ventura County, California","taxId",3809,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6623366,"Oxnard committee backs work on tenant anti‑harassment ordinance, asks staff to revise language",5678,638000,6316000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2771712-f00fe0422e31039c73bd579dfd566841&start=638&end=6316","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2771712-f00fe0422e31039c73bd579dfd566841/thumbnail_638000.jpg","/articles/6623366/Oxnard-City/Ventura-County/California/Oxnard-committee-backs-work-on-tenant-antiharassment-ordinance-asks-staff-to-revise-language","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6623366-1208bfb94e0230df0c854c9c394584da/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194462&Signature=Vh5s~iZt0rCz~nqchv-g3ZFcP7Mlsu~TITOP9uSlkEO6hdbRsjJ6IsBaSu1D7EDyWGWaLqVDC90zEnDuwVtGi-QEa5M14E04obr5v7nKHaWttXvUngYYXP0~YRvHBTPYExZskivkvI7h8aV8f8YmFrrIV3aYdrl3qUn8N9RSkP8WoRLHcCwT1qqc3j7L5Odbm~3TXYOqDK~Nk51RKTuSh1vvaVaQ6y12VqQCVwTdknfMbMnTdiJeX84lYNsArAuNQxYIvf~884Q~Vw8M4CHY7oH8FGB1FqVq4Jt4WtgfGya8Xr4aH8oshlzwKVCp6A0IFGSKb9PZ4~PNlRRES~lq0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oxnard Community Services Public Safety and Housing Development Committee on March 25 reviewed a proposed tenant anti‑harassment ordinance and voted to direct staff to make recommended changes and bring the item to the City Council for further consideration (3–0).

The ordinance, as drafted by the Housing Department with outside counsel, would add Article 3 to Chapter 27 of the Oxnard City Code to prohibit specified landlord conduct citywide and create civil and criminal enforcement paths, staff said. Assistant Director Albert Meyers told the committee the measure was drafted after tenant complaints alleging tactics such as threats to report immigration status, refusal to make repairs, and other actions intended to force tenants to vacate so landlords could reset rents.

The ordinance would make specified harassment violations misdemeanors and would allow tenants, the city or an organization to pursue civil damages and attorney fees, Meyers said. The housing department estimates the rule would apply to roughly 22,000 rental units in Oxnard and recommended adding a partially dedicated assistant city attorney and a full‑time housing investigator to enforce complaints.

Interim Housing Director Brenda Lopez and housing staff described enforcement models used in other California cities. Meyers and outside counsel Stephen Lewis noted the city examined Santa Monica’s model, where a staffed unit investigates complaints and the city attorney’s office pursues cases; Santa Monica receives roughly 200 complaints a year and pursues litigation in about 5–10 cases annually, staff said.

Stakeholders at the meeting urged changes to the draft. The Ventura Coastal Association of Realtors’ first vice president, Walter Morris, said landlords and property managers support protections for tenants but warned that the ordinance should not unintentionally limit lawful property‑management activities such as routine inspections and insurance‑required documentation: “We absolutely recognize the importance of…holding bad actors accountable. At the same time, we must ensure that the responsible housing providers…also have the right of way,” Morris said.

Several property managers echoed that inspections are financially and legally necessary. Broker Janet Brissler said inspections “are essential for tenant safety, property preservation, and legal compliance” and that managers are willing to accommodate tenants with alternatives such as video walkthroughs.

Tenant advocates and tenant organizers described complaints they say show harassment in Oxnard. Maria Navarro, speaking for CAUSE and tenant groups, summarized cases in which tenants said landlords made immigration‑status inquiries and offered repeated buyouts after tenants used city complaint processes. Barbara MacElroy Ortiz, a tenant advocate, said the ordinance is meant to target “bad actors” and should not affect landlords who follow legal notice procedures.

Legal staff proposed edits to address concerns raised in letters from tenant and landlord groups. Assistant City Attorney Elle McCarron said the draft language would be amended to preserve the city’s ability to enforce the ordinance while avoiding conflicts with civil‑litigation privileges established under Civil Code section 47 and the California Supreme Court’s decision in Action Apartment Association v. City of Santa Monica (41 Cal.4th 1232). Counsel also recommended clarifying that communications made in connection with pending litigation or litigation preparation would not be treated as prohibited harassment.

Committee members and staff discussed several drafting points the city attorney’s office will revise, including the ordinance’s interplay with state law on entry and notice (Civil Code section 1954) and how to word exceptions for litigation communications. The committee approved a motion directing staff to make the recommended changes and return the item to the council, and staff said they will circulate revised language to the parties that submitted letters before returning to the council.

Staff noted financial implications. Housing staff and the city manager’s office said implementing an enforcement unit would require adding approximately two positions (a partially dedicated assistant city attorney and a housing investigator) and that mid‑range salaries and benefits produced an estimated annual cost of about $505,000. The committee did not approve funding tonight; staff said fee and budget questions would return to council as separate policy items.

Next steps: staff will draft the ordinance edits discussed at the meeting, circulate the revisions to stakeholders that submitted comments, and return the item to the City Council. Staff said the timeline under discussion would likely bring the ordinance to the full council for first reading in May.

Ending: The committee approved the direction to staff 3–0 and closed public comment on the item after roughly one hour of testimony and discussion.","The Oxnard Community Services Public Safety and Housing Development Committee reviewed a proposed tenant anti‑harassment ordinance and directed staff to make revisions and return the item to the City Council after additional stakeholder review. The ordinance would create citywide protections and requires staffing and budget changes if adopted.","actionData","errors"]

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Oxnard committee forwards changes to just‑cause rules but asks staff to rework rent‑increase petition regulations

Oxnard committee backs work on tenant anti‑harassment ordinance, asks staff to revise language