City of Mountain View Tenant Protections

The information below is provided by Tenants Together, based partially on research conducted by the Urban Displacement Project, and was last updated in October 2018. For complete information on the City's tenant protections, please visit their website here.

Disclaimer: This website is for general information and none of the information provided constitutes legal advice. In addition, please note that ordinances are periodically updated, modified, or interpreted by regulations. We recommend contacting the City for the official version of its law in the event that you intend to rely on this information.

Rent control is effective at keeping people in their homes. Rent control policies limit rent increases and provide greater housing stability for tenants. Rent control ordinances in California allow landlords to set the initial rent in any amount, but limit rent increases after a tenancy begins.

Rent control is often combined with eviction protections, known as "just cause for eviction," to make sure that landlords do not get around the rent increase limits by simply evicting tenants arbitrarily and bringing in new tenants. Just Cause protections provide basic fairness and prevent retaliation, discrimination, and harassment proactively.

Overview

Rating 1
What regulations does the City have? Just Cause and Rent Control Protections
Year Just Cause was Originally Adopted 2017
Year of Most Recent Just Cause Amendment 2017
Year Rent Control Originally Adopted 2017
Year of Most Recent Rent Control Amendment 2017

Just Cause Protections Summary

What causes for eviction are considered just cause - tenant at-fault?
  • Failure to Pay Rent
  • Breach of Lease
  • Nuisance
  • Criminal Activity
  • Failure to Give Access
What causes for eviction are considered just cause - no-fault?
  • Necessary and Substantial Repairs Requiring--Temporary Vacancy
  • Owner Move-In
  • Withdrawal of the Unit Permanently from Rental Market
  • Demolition
Key Eligibility and Exemption Summary
  • Rental Units with first certificate of occupancy after April 5, 2017
  • Single-family homes and condos, companion units, duplexes
Partially exempt units include:
  • Rental Units with an initial certificate of occupancy dated between February 1, 1995 and the effective date of this Article
  • Rental Units governed by Mountain View City Code Chapter 36, Article XIV ("Affordable Housing Program") to the extent permissible by law
Is there a minimum tenancy for coverage? No
Do protections apply to new construction? Yes, but only applies to units built before 12/23/2016
What triggers the obligation to pay relocation assistance?
  • Necessary and substantial repairs requiring temporary vacancy
  • Owner move-in
  • Withdrawal of the unit permanently from the rental market
  • Demolition

Rent Control Protections Summary

What units are eligible for rent control and which are exempt? Units exempted from RC: units in hotels, motels, inns, tourist homes, rooming, boarding houses, rental units in hospitals, convent, monastery, extended medical care facility, asylum, non-profit home for the aged, government unit, must be 3 or more units
Additional Details Notice of Rent Increase Required. Allowable Rent increases pursuant to the Annual General Adjustment shall become effective only after the Landlord provides written notice to the Tenant in the manner prescribed by law, with at least thirty (30) days' advance written notice
Banking Allowed Yes
Does the landlord have to petition for additional increases? Yes, A rent increase can also be requested by a landlord, based on an individual petition for upward adjustment of rent, to be submitted to the Rental Housing Committee
On what grounds is the landlord allowed to petition for additional rent increases?
  • Increases or decreases in property taxes
  • Unavoidable increases or any decreases in maintenance and operating expenses
  • The cost of planned or completed capital improvements to the rental unit (ordinary repair, replacement, and maintenance), but only where such capital improvements are necessary to bring the property in compliance or maintian compliance with applicable codes affecting health and safety, and where such capital improvement costs are properly amortized over the life of the improvements
  • Increases or decreases in number of tenants occupying rental unit, living space, furniture, furnishings, equipment, or other housing services provided, or occupancy rules
  • Substantial deteoritation of the rental unit other than as a result of normal wear and tear

Rent Board Summary

Does the City have a Rent Board? Yes
Is the Rent Board appointed or elected? Appointed by the City Council at a public meeting
Number of Units Covered by Rent Control 13,466
Number of Units Covered by Just Cause 15,300