Extend Just Cause Protections (Measure V)
- Just cause for eviction is a basic legal protection. Just cause for eviction laws mean that a landlord cannot evict a tenant for no reason. The landlord has to have one of the reasons allowed in the Oakland ordinance in order to evict, and must write the reason on a notice that they give to the tenant. The tenant has the right to present evidence in court if they believe the reason is not true.
- Just cause for eviction is an important protection against discrimination, retaliation, and harassment. Requiring a reason for eviction is one of the best tools to combat landlords who sexually harass tenants, who wants to remove tenants of a specific race from their building, or who retaliate against tenants for asking for repairs. If a tenant knows they cannot be evicted for no reason, they are much more likely to be able to stand up for their rights and report abuses without fear of being made homeless in return.
- Measure V will extend just cause legal protections to more properties in Oakland. Right now in Oakland, tenants who live in buildings built after 1995 do not have just cause protections. Measure V changes the cutoff date so that tenants who live in buildings built within the last 10 years (on a rolling deadline) will have these protections. Measure V will also expand eviction protections to categories of housing legalized by the city last year: tiny homes on wheels and recreational vehicles, if those units are rented to a tenant by a landlord.
- Measure V will add new eviction protections. Measure V adds special eviction protections for school-age children or educators who are being evicted for “no-fault” reasons during the school year. Evictions have been shown to disrupt the educational progress of children. We also need our teachers to be able to remain in Oakland. This measure prevents evictions that could damage educational achievement.
- Oakland City Council supports Measure V. Oakland City Council voted 7-0 in favor of placing Measure V on the ballot (with one excused absence). The measure was proposed by City Councilmembers Dan Kalb and Carroll Fife.