Newark council adopts tenant‑protection ordinance, rent‑review process and a $200,000 emergency rental assistance pilot

The City Council voted unanimously to add two new chapters to the Newark Municipal Code creating a Residential Landlord and Tenant Relations ordinance and a Rent Review/mediation program, and approved a pilot emergency rental assistance program (ERAP).

Housing programs manager Michael Coolum told the council the proposals implement housing element goals to keep people in their homes and reduce displacement. The landlord‑tenant chapter largely mirrors state provisions under AB 1482 (the tenant protections act) but includes several local refinements: single‑family rental homes are generally subject to the ordinance unless owner‑occupied in limited situations; the city would require property registration for covered rental units (staff proposed a modest $25 per‑unit registration fee to cover implementation costs); and the city would expand relocation assistance for no‑fault evictions from AB 1482—s one month to two months' rent.

On rent review, staff proposed a conciliation and nonbinding mediation pathway when landlords propose rent increases greater than 5% in a 12‑month period. Tenants would have 15 days after receiving a rent‑increase notice to request review; if conciliation fails, mediation would be available. Failure by a landlord to attend conciliation or mediation — or to provide required notices in at least three languages — would render the rent increase void. Violations of noticing or process requirements would be an affirmative defense in any eviction proceeding, and violations of the ordinance could be enforced by the city through misdemeanor or administrative remedies.

To support tenants and landlords, the council authorized staff to contract with HUD‑certified housing counselors on a fee‑for‑service basis to provide conciliation, mediation and counseling. Councilmembers asked staff to ensure outreach and translation, to coordinate with local service providers (including Promotoras and the Newark Family Resource Center), and to provide set hours for in‑person counseling.

Separately, staff proposed and the council approved allocating up to $200,000 for direct ERAP grants to Newark households and up to $50,000 for program administration, to be drawn from the city—s housing impact fee fund. Coolum described the ERAP as a pilot and said staff will monitor spend rates and return with a report on outcomes; typical grant amounts would commonly be in the $3,000—$7,000 range per household. The city already has access to countywide ERAP services (Seasons of Sharing) but staff said local funding could fill gaps because county programs are oversubscribed.

Councilmembers asked about eligibility, whether landlords should be required to contribute to ERAP disbursements, and how success would be measured; staff preliminarily suggested assisting 15—20 households per year as a benchmark and said program guidelines (including eligibility) would be developed administratively.

The council approved the ordinances and the ERAP funding unanimously, with staff directed to finalize administrative guidelines, formalize contracts with HUD‑certified counselors, and report back annually on program effectiveness.