San Jose Municipal Code Part 5 Enforcement

A. Penalty for Violations of this Chapter. In addition to all other remedies provided by law, including those set forth in Chapter 1.08 of Title 1 of the San José Municipal Code, and as part of any civil action brought by the City, a court may assess a civil penalty in an amount up to the greater of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per violation per day, or ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per violation, payable to the City, against any person who commits, continues, operates, allows, suffers, or maintains any violation of a provision of this Chapter 17.23, subject to California Civil Code Section 1947.7, as amended.

B. Attorney Fees. The prevailing party in any civil action brought pursuant to this Chapter 17.23 shall be entitled to the reasonable costs of bringing such civil action, including court costs and attorney fees.

(Ord. 30032.)

Possession of a Rental Unit shall not be recovered by a Landlord from a Tenant, and the Tenant Household, who is not otherwise in violation of the terms of occupancy of the Rental Unit, if either:

A. The Landlord's dominant motive in seeking to recover possession of the Rental Unit is retaliation against the Tenant for exercising any rights under this Chapter 17.23; or

B. The Landlord's dominant motive in seeking to recover possession of the Rental Unit is to evade the purposes of this Chapter 17.23.

(Ord. 30032.)

A. Nonwaiver. Any waiver or purported waiver by a Tenant of rights granted under this Chapter 17.23 prior to the time when such rights may be exercised shall be void as contrary to public policy.

B. Waiver of Rights. It shall be unlawful for a Landlord to attempt or seek to waive, or to waive, in a written or oral rental agreement, the rights granted a Tenant under this Chapter prior to the execution of, or as a condition of entering into or extending, a written or oral rental agreement.

(Ord. 30032.)

A. Misdemeanor. Any Landlord found to have received, imposed, or demanded prohibited pass through charges, other fees or charges or any Rent in excess of the Rent allowed under this Chapter 17.23 and its implementing Regulations shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, subject to the provisions of California Civil Code Section 1947.7, as amended.

B. Civil Penalties. Any person found to have demanded, accepted, received or retained any payment of Rent in excess of the Rent allowed under this Chapter 17.23 and its implementing Regulations or pass through charges, other fees or charges that are not allowed under this Chapter 17.23, shall be liable to the Tenant from whom such payment was demanded, accepted, or received for the amount that was impermissibly charged, plus damages as determined and not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) or three (3) times the amount by which such payment exceeded the Rent allowed, whichever is greater. Remedies provided in this paragraph are in addition to any other legal remedies and are not intended to be exclusive.

(Ord. 30032.)

Rent Stabilized Units. A Landlord seeking to terminate a tenancy of a Tenant or Tenant Household for a Rent Stabilized Unit must comply with Section 17.23.600(A) of the Apartment Rent Ordinance and the Tenant Protection Ordinance. Non-compliance shall constitute an affirmative defense for a Tenant of a Rent Stabilized Unit against any unlawful detainer action under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1161.

(Ord. 30032.)

In addition to any other remedies provided by law, any Landlord found to have evicted a Tenant from a Rental Stabilized Unit in violation of the Apartment Rent Ordinance is liable to that Tenant for a fine of up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000), and the reasonable costs incurred by the Tenant as a result of the eviction, including the costs of moving the Tenant Household and the reasonable costs of bringing such suit, including court costs and attorney fees.

(Ord. 30032.)

A. Any Owner, as that term is defined in Part 11 of this Chapter 17.23, of a Rent Stabilized Unit shall disclose to a potential buyer in writing, prior to the close of escrow that the Rent Stabilized Unit is subject to this Chapter 17.23 and implementing regulations. Upon request by the City, such Owner or former Owner shall provide the City with a copy of such written disclosure.

B. Failure of an Owner to make the disclosure set forth in Section 17.23.560 shall in no way excuse a purchaser of a Rent Stabilized Unit from any right, responsibility, or obligation under this Chapter 17.23.

(Ord. 30032.)

A. The Director may enforce the rights and responsibilities created by this Chapter 17.23 and the Regulations, including issuance of an administrative citation in accordance with Chapter 1.15 of the San José Municipal Code.

B. The City Attorney may seek injunctive relief to restrain or enjoin any violation of this Chapter or the Regulations.

(Ord. 30032.)

A. Rental in Violation of City Ordinance. If a Landlord rents a Rent Stabilized Unit: (i) in violation of the City's Short Term Rental Ordinance, Part 2.5 of Chapter 20.80, or for an unpermitted non-residential use; (ii) in material violation of the City's Housing, Fire or Building Codes, Chapter 17.20, or Title 24; or (iii) in violation of the implied warranty of habitability, such rental shall also be considered a violation of this Chapter and may give rise to any of the remedies or penalties identified in this Part 5.

B. Tenant Protections. Tenants shall have the right to seek the protections set forth in the Tenant Protection Ordinance in addition to any remedies available under Parts 1 through 9 of this Chapter.

C. Failure to Provide a Notice of Termination; Evasion. If a Landlord fails to comply with Section 17.23.600, requires a Tenant to enter into a new lease under another name, or otherwise seeks to evade the restrictions on Rent in this Chapter, such actions shall also be considered a violation of this Chapter and may give rise to any of the remedies or penalties identified in this Part 5.

D. Additional Rights and Obligations. The rights and obligations set forth in Parts 1 through 9 of this Chapter are in addition to those set forth in any other Part or Chapter of the Municipal Code.

(Ord. 30032.)