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San Mateo County · Renting & eviction

Relocation payments in San Mateo County

County rule: households permanently displaced by County code enforcement get 3 times monthly HUD Fair Market Rent, plus up to $1,000 moving costs. State law: no-fault evictions of covered units require 1 month's rent as relocation pay or a rent waiver, paid within 15 calendar days.

Key points

  • Code displacement: County rule: households permanently displaced by County code enforcement get 3 times monthly HUD Fair Market Rent, plus up to $1,000 moving costs.
  • Relocation pay: State law: no-fault evictions of covered units require 1 month's rent as relocation pay or a rent waiver, paid within 15 calendar days.

Each rule below links to the section of the San Mateo County Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What San Mateo County's code says

San Mateo County code What San Mateo County's code adds
Amount
  • 3x current HUD monthly Fair Market Rent for a similar unit, plus up to $1,000 actual moving and related costs.
    Applies: Permanent displacement caused by County code enforcement.
    § 3.108.090 · code text
    equal to three times the current monthly United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Market Rent for a unit of comparable size and type to the dwelling or room from which the displacement occurs, plus a payment not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for actual moving costs
  • Actual, reasonable moving and temporary housing costs, up to the permanent-displacement amount.
    Applies: Temporary displacement caused by County code enforcement; the cap does not apply if both later agree in writing it is permanent.
    § 3.108.090 · code text
    shall receive monetary relocation payment or payments from the property owner to cover the tenant household's actual and reasonable moving expenses and temporary housing accommodations costs incurred as a result of the temporary displacement.
Exemptions
  • The move-out was mainly caused by something other than the code violation, the County or court finding, or needed repairs.
    § 3.108.030 · code text
    The property owner demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Director that vacation of the dwelling or room was due primarily to a cause other than either (a) the noncomplying condition, (b) the County's or court's determination that the dwelling or room was a noncomplying dwelling or room, or (c) the need to make repairs to rectify any noncomplying condition;
  • Tenant household, guests or invitees caused the violation, or it existed at move-in and they moved in for relocation benefits.
    § 3.108.030 · code text
    The property owner demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Director that the noncomplying condition was created by the tenant household or the tenant household's guests or invitees, and was not created by the property owner or the property owner's agent, or that the condition giving rise to the code enforcement activities existed at the time that the tenant household occupied the dwelling or room and that the tenant household occupied the dwelling or room for the purpose of receiving relocation benefits;
  • The tenant household unreasonably blocked maintenance or repairs that would have prevented or fixed the violation.
    § 3.108.030 · code text
    The property owner demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Director that the tenant household unreasonably prevented the property owner or the property owner's agent from undertaking maintenance or repairs that would have prevented or rectified the noncomplying condition;
  • All violations are fixed before the tenant household takes definite steps to move.
    § 3.108.030 · code text
    All noncomplying conditions are corrected, as determined by the County, prior to the time the tenant household has taken definitive steps to move from the dwelling or room;
  • County or court rescinds, withdraws or overturns on appeal the notice or declaration before household takes definite steps to move.
    § 3.108.030 · code text
    The notice to vacate, notice to abate life-threatening condition, or declaration of substandard condition is rescinded or withdrawn by the County or the court or is overturned on appeal prior to the time the tenant household has taken definitive steps to move from the dwelling or room;
  • Written offer of a comparable, compliant unit in the same building, at no higher rent, before definite steps to move.
    § 3.108.030 · code text
    The property owner offers, in writing, to move the tenant household immediately into a replacement dwelling or room in the same building, and all of the following are true: (a) the replacement dwelling or room is at least substantially comparable in size, condition and amenities to the formerly occupied dwelling or room;
  • Vacation is required solely due to damage from an earthquake, fire, flood, natural disaster, civil disturbance, or accident outside the property owner's control, if required within six months and the owner demonstrates the damage was not caused by the owner, negligence, or a preexisting code violation
    § 3.108.030 · code text
    The tenant household is required to vacate the dwelling or room due solely to damage resulting from an earthquake, fire, flood, natural disaster, civil disturbance, or accident outside the control of the property owner, if (a) the vacation is required within six months of such event
When it is paid
  • At least 10 days before expected move-out date, or by move-out if notice is shorter or no date is set.
    Applies: Permanent displacement caused by County code enforcement.
    § 3.108.060 · code text
    the property owner shall make the relocation payment directly to an eligible tenant household no later than ten (10) days before the expected vacation date of the dwelling or room specified in either a County or court notice or order or the property owner's notice to vacate
  • Within 10 days after a written demand, which must be made within 30 days after moving out.
    Applies: The household moved out on its own after a County life-threatening or substandard notice, without telling the owner first.
    § 3.108.060 · code text
    then the payment by the property owner to the tenant household shall be made no later than ten (10) days after written demand for such payment is made by the tenant household to the property owner; provided, however, that in such case, such a demand must be made in writing by the tenant household within thirty (30) days following the actual vacation
  • Within 5 days after the household submits reasonable proof of moving and temporary housing costs.
    Applies: Temporary displacement caused by County code enforcement.
    § 3.108.060 · code text
    the property owner shall make the payment directly to an eligible tenant household within five (5) days after the tenant household has submitted reasonably probative documentation (such as bills, invoices, rental agreements, estimates, etc.)
  • Temporary payment within 5 days of submitting proof; permanent payment within 10 days after it's confirmed permanent in writing.
    Applies: Displacement from County code enforcement first treated as temporary, later agreed in writing to be permanent.
    § 3.108.060 · code text
    the property owner shall provide the tenant household relocation payments for temporary displacement required under section 3.108.090(b) within the period required under section 3.108.060(d), as well as relocation payments for permanent displacement required under section 3.108.090(a) within ten (10) days after the displacement is determined, in writing, to be a permanent displacement.
When relocation is owed
  • Being displaced by County code enforcement, including after a notice to vacate, abate a life-threatening condition, or substandard finding.
    § 3.108.030 · code text
    A tenant household shall be eligible for relocation payments from a property owner under this chapter if the tenant household is displaced from its dwelling or room due to the County's code enforcement activities.
  • An extra $1,000 when County requires immediate move-out (under 30 days' notice) because the unit endangers public health and safety.
    Applies: Displacement caused by County code enforcement.
    § 3.108.090 · code text
    When the condition of a dwelling or room is a danger to the public health and safety such that the County requires immediate vacation, i.e., vacation with less than thirty (30) days advance notice either from the County or from the property owner to the tenant household of the need to vacate

The California rule underneath

Where San Mateo County's rule above does not cover a situation, state law still applies. For the statewide rule on its own, see Relocation under California's just-cause law.

CA state law The statewide rule underneath
No-fault eviction relocation assistance
One month's rent (as relocation payment or rent waiver), paid within 15 calendar days of the notice
Applies: For no-fault just causes (owner move-in, withdrawal from market, substantial remodel, government order) on covered units; regardless of the tenant's income.

Who this affects

TenantsLandlordsProperty managers

Frequently asked questions

Does a San Mateo County landlord have to pay relocation?

County rule: households permanently displaced by County code enforcement get 3 times monthly HUD Fair Market Rent, plus up to $1,000 moving costs. State law: no-fault evictions of covered units require 1 month's rent as relocation pay or a rent waiver, paid within 15 calendar days.

General information, not legal advice.

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