The City Council has identified affordable housing as a multi-year City priority, and has specifically cited their desire to help facilitate development of new affordable multi-family housing in Half Moon Bay. Recently, the Council acknowledged the need to supplement new deed restricted affordable housing development (where a property is subject to certain limitations and conditions) with protections for tenants of non-deed restricted rental housing in the City.  

Staff was asked to provide an analysis of potential options available to the City Council. This report was presented to the City Council and community at the Council meeting on November 7, 2023. The City Council directed staff to proceed with developing ordinances which would: 1) adopt Rent Control in accordance with current State Law (Costa-Hawkins); 2) enhance tenant protections for “no-fault” evictions and subtenants; and 3) protect tenants who are displaced due to code compliance actions.

Staff anticipates initiating a fourth ordinance creating a City-wide rental registration program. We anticipate a draft of the rental registration ordinance will be presented to City Council in January, 2024 with subsequent draft ordinances coming to the City Council by March and April of 2024.   

The City is in the process of creating a project page for tenant protections which will be provided in a future e-news. A copy of the staff report and subsequent draft ordinances and materials will be posted to that site as well.