Concord City Council Votes Down Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance

June 27, 2019

As talk of rent and eviction control continues across California, the City of Concord held a special city council meeting on June 19, 2019 to discuss the state of their rental housing market and discuss considerations for further action. With the Bay Area’s soaring economy and inability to keep up with housing demand, pressure for more tenant protections is moving further and further out from the traditional urban centers to cities like Concord.

Among the multiple policy recommendations brought forward in the meeting was a recommendation for the establishment of a Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance similar to what is already in place in San Francisco, Oakland, Richmond, and a growing list of other cities.

This hot topic drew a crowd of hundreds of community members to share their input on the topic over the nearly 6-hour meeting. Thanks in part to a very large turnout by rental property owners, homeowners, and rental housing operators, this recommendation was defeated after only garnering one vote. This group of speakers, including Steven Edrington, successfully made the case that such measures often end up decreasing the rental housing stock as property owners who fear they will not be able to recover their property after an expired lease end up exiting the business.

Other policy recommendations did get enough support to continue on for public review and further consideration. These include:

Modifications to the rent review program to include an Administrative Law Judge for rent increases over a certain threshold
Relocation assistance for tenants
Requirement to offer minimum lease terms

While this Just Cause vote is a definite win for landlords in Concord, the long-term trend of more and more restrictions being placed on Bay Area rental property owners is continuing. While we still believe strongly in the investment opportunities offered by owning rental housing, it is not an easy time to be in the business. Make sure you are staying up to date with the latest laws and proposals in your area, and don’t delay seeking the help of an expert when you may be unsure if a law applies to you or not!