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Housing committee extends temporary moratorium on renovation-related evictions to June 1, 2025
Summary
The committee approved a 3-0 extension of an interim municipal code provision temporarily prohibiting evictions tied to substantial residential remodels, directed staff to return a report within about 60 days and heard strong public calls to extend protections further and make them retroactive to pending cases.
The Housing Committee voted 3-0 to extend an interim municipal code provision temporarily prohibiting evictions that arise from substantial residential remodels until June 1, 2025, and directed staff to return a report on a permanent policy within roughly 60 days.
The measure, introduced as an extension to an existing interim ordinance, responds to repeated public testimony that landlords have used renovation claims to displace tenants and that some tenants have been left without housing even though the advertised upgrades did not occur. Dozens of public commenters urged the committee to lengthen the moratorium to December 2025 and to make protections retroactive to tenants who already face pending eviction cases.
Ana Ortega of the Department of Housing provided the committee with data on enforcement and filings since the city adopted the “just cause” provisions in January 2023. Ortega said 98 units had been filed with the department in that period; roughly 70% involved single-family homes. She said the department had recorded two multi-unit properties in January–February 2025 that would require further review and that the current housing enforcement program is supported by three code inspectors assigned to similar tenant-protection work.
Committee members and many public speakers framed the issue as part of the city’s broader housing and environmental-justice concerns. Members of community organizations, tenant associations and legal aid groups described families displaced after renovation claims and pressed for immediate extension of the temporary controls, a retroactive application to pending eviction cases and higher relocation protections for displaced tenants.
City staff described potential program elements under consideration: a relocation-assistance program with options for temporary or permanent relocation, a filing requirement for renovation permits with the Department of Housing, and possible penalty language aimed at fraud or bad-faith renovation claims. Staff said additional drafting and legal review would be needed to finalize a permanent ordinance.
After discussion the committee approved the extension 3-0 and directed the Department of Housing to return a report with proposed permanent protections and implementation details in approximately 60 days. Committee members said they would place the ordinance on a future agenda once the report is delivered.
The public record at the meeting shows wide community support for a longer interim extension and for retroactive coverage of tenants with eviction cases; some landlords’ representatives urged caution and asked for more data before extending restrictions.
Votes at a glance: The committee approved the extension of the interim ordinance (motion language: extension to prohibit residential evictions for substantial remodels until June 1, 2025) by voice vote, recorded as three in favor and the motion carried. Staff were directed to return a report within about 60 days and to prepare draft permanent ordinance language for committee consideration.
