The Mountain View City Council has approved what’s been called a “right to a lease” ordinance.
Approved on a 6-1 vote Tuesday, the ordinance is modeled closely after a requirement in Palo Alto that rental owners offer residents the option of a 12-month lease.
The Mountain View council believes that guaranteeing tenants the right to a fixed-term lease will provide stability for both renters and rental owners.
The ordinance, which applies to rental properties with three units or more, requires that an owner/operator offer a 12-month lease, and if a tenant declines, that the owner get the rejection in writing.
The proposal to require leases resulted from a council hearing in October during which community groups pushed for rent control and just-cause eviction. The City Council, however, indicated that these measures are not proper remedies for the city’s housing challenges but will be studying programs such as mediation and arbitration in the coming months as possible ways to address disputes between renters and property owners.
Over the next several days, CAA will prepare and publish an educational piece to help members understand and comply with the new ordinance, which takes effect Jan. 7