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Resolution establishing temporary and permanent relocation assistance amounts and related fees pursuant to Chapter 8.70 “Residential Tenant Relocation” of the South San Francisco Municipal Code.
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WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Ordinance XXX amending and replacing Chapter 8.70 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code “Residential Tenant Relocation”; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 8.70 ensures that tenants displaced from unsafe or substandard rental housing units receive relocation assistance to help mitigate costs related to tenants being permanently or temporarily displaced; and
WHEREAS, tenants displaced due to uninhabitable or unsafe conditions are often required to do so immediately and suffer a financial burden because of the acute lack of resources available for locating and securing suitable relocation housing; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that establishing standardized relocation amounts promotes clarity, fairness, administrative efficiency, and housing stability; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 8.70 authorizes City Council to establish by resolution the amount of temporary relocation per diem payments, permanent relocation fees, counseling fees, and immediate vacation fees; and
WHEREAS, the amounts established herein are reasonably related to the costs displaced tenants incur in securing temporary and permanent housing within the City.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of South San Francisco hereby establishes the following temporary and permanent relocation assistance amounts and related fees:
1. Temporary Relocation Assistance
In the event of a Temporary Displacement pursuant to Chapter 8.70, the landlord shall provide the displaced tenant with temporary relocation assistance within twenty-four (24) hours of any displacement event, or at least twenty (20) days prior to the vacation date set forth in any order or notice to vacate, in the form of per diem assistance.
Temporary relocation per diem assistance shall be determined by the current U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) per diem rates for South San Francisco (Per Diem Rates for ZIP Code 94080 | GSA <https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates/per-diem-rates-results?action=perdiems_report&fiscal_year=2026&state=&city=&zip=94080>). The per diem amount shall be calculated to include compensation for the following:
(a) Rental Housing Unit Size: Per diem assistance shall be calculated by the number of bedrooms in the displaced rental housing unit.
(b) Hotel/Motel accommodation: Temporary relocation to a motel or hotel accommodation which is safe, sanitary, located in South San Francisco and contains standard amenities such as a telephone. Lodging costs shall be determined by the applicable GSA Lodging per diem rate multiplied by the number of bedrooms of the rental housing unit.
(c) Meals: If the temporary accommodation lacks cooking facilities, meals shall be included in the per diem relocation assistance calculation. Meal per diem costs are determined by GSA per diem rates, multiplied by the number of bedrooms of the rental housing unit.
(d) Incidental Expenses: The landlord shall compensate the displaced tenant for reasonable incidental expenses incurred as a direct result of the displacement. Incidental per diem costs are determined by GSA per diem rates, multiplied by the number of bedrooms of the rental housing unit. Incidental expenses may include, but are not limited to laundry services, increased transportation costs, storage fees, reasonable moving expenses, and other reasonable expenses attributed to the displacement.
(e) Pets: If the temporary accommodation does not accept pets, the landlord shall provide additional relocation assistance sufficient to cover reasonable pet accommodations. The amount shall be based on receipts provided by a displaced tenant for reasonable pet lodging or hotel surcharges.
(f) Comparable Housing In Lieu of: In lieu of providing temporary relocation per diem payments in accordance with Chapter 8.70.060, the landlord may provide the displaced tenant with comparable housing for the period of the temporary relocation in a safe and sanitary hotel/motel located in the City or within reasonable proximity to the City, provided such housing is acceptable to the displaced tenant and consistent with Chapter 8.70.
(g) Maximum Limit: Temporary relocation assistance cannot exceed fifty percent (50%) of the permanent relocation assistance for a comparable unit size.
2. Permanent Relocation Assistance
In the event of a Permanent Displacement pursuant to Chapter 8.70, if an anticipated notice is given to the tenant pursuant to Section 8.70.040, the permanent relocation assistance must be provided to the tenant no later than ten (10) days before the expected vacation date of the rental housing unit. If advanced notice or order is not provided to the tenant, then the payment by the landlord to the displaced tenant shall be made within twenty-four (24) hours after the notice to vacate is posted and mailed.
(a) Permanent Relocation Fee: Permanent relocation assistance shall be determined by four (4) times the monthly rental rate of the vacated rental housing unit, or the current HUD Fair Market Rate for a comparable sized unit in South San Francisco (Fair Market Rent Documentation System <https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmrs/FY2026_code/2026summary.odn>), whichever is higher.
(b) Moving Expenses: Displaced tenant households are eligible to receive Five Hundred Dollars ($500) of moving expenses per number of bedrooms of the vacated rental housing unit.
(c) Comparable Housing In Lieu of: In lieu of providing permanent relocation payments, the landlord may offer to relocate the displaced tenant to comparable housing. If the displaced tenant accepts, the landlord shall be liable only for the actual costs of relocating the displaced tenant. If the displaced tenant is required to vacate the rental housing unit prior to relocating to the comparable housing, the landlord must provide the temporary relocation per diem payments to the displaced tenant.
3. Displacement Beyond the Initial Estimated Time
If the landlord or City determines that the actual relocation period will be longer than initially estimated, the landlord must notify the displaced tenant as soon as the determination is made. If the displacement remains within 29 days or less, the displacement remains temporary, and the landlord shall promptly pay the displaced tenant the additional temporary relocation per diem payments owed. If the temporary displacement goes beyond 29 days and converts to a permanent displacement, the landlord shall pay the displaced tenant the difference between the total temporary relocation payments already received by the displaced tenant and the permanent relocation fee within two (2) working days after the determination that the relocation is permanent.
4. Counseling Fee
Pursuant to Section 8.70.080, for each rental housing unit from which tenants are displaced, the landlord shall pay a fee of Two Hundred Fifty ($250) to the City. The fee shall be used to fund counseling or other assistance required by displaced tenants as a result of displacement including, but not limited to, housing counseling, case management services, and administrative implementation of Chapter 8.70.
5. Immediate Vacation Fee
Pursuant to Section 8.70.080, where a tenant is required to vacate with fewer than thirty (30) days’ notice, the landlord shall pay an additional $1,000 immediate vacation fee per rental housing unit. This fee is in addition to any temporary or permanent relocation payment and shall be paid directly to the tenant within twenty-four (24) hours of the displacement event.
6. Right to Amend or Modify
Temporary and Permanent relocation fees described above for per diem rates shall reflect current per diem rates established by GSA at the time of the displacement event and shall incorporate all annual adjustments issued by GSA.
City Council shall reserve the right to review, modify, or amend the relocation assistance and related fees established by this Resolution, as the Council deems necessary or appropriate.
All modifications or amendments shall be established by City Council resolution.
7. Defined Terms.
Terms used in this Resolution that are defined in Chapter 8.70 shall have the same meanings as provided in Chapter 8.70.
8. Effective Date
This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council of the City of South San Francisco and shall apply to all displacement events upon its adoption.
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