Council Sends Tenant Protections Back to Staff After Heated Debate

San Pablo's City Council found itself split Monday night over how far the city should go to protect renters, ultimately voting 3–2 to pump the brakes on a sweeping tenant protections ordinance. They also honored a celebrated educator and heard from the city's youth leaders.

• Tenant protections ordinance sent back to staff for refinements after extensive public testimony

• Professor Mark Wong of Contra Costa College honored with proclamation for national faculty award

• Youth Commission reports recruitment of four new members and continued focus on college readiness

The evening's main event was a lengthy public hearing on proposed additions to San Pablo's municipal code: Chapter 9.70 (Just Cause for Eviction Protections) and Chapter 9.80 (Housing Stability and Anti-Harassment Protections). The draft ordinance would increase relocation assistance for no-fault evictions to two months' rent, create a right to return at the same rent for tenants displaced by certain no-fault evictions if the unit is re-rented within a year, and extend anti-harassment protections to mobile home parks.