The Glendale Rent Ordinance seeks to equalize landlord-tenant relations by requiring Glendale landlords to offer a written one-year lease.  The one-year lease requirement ensures certainty for Glendale tenants and combats short-term rentals.

The Glendale Rent Ordinance also contains just cause for eviction protections and provides relocation assistance for certain types of displacement.  Although the Glendale Rent Ordinance lacks rent control, Glendale tenants may be protected by California Rent Control, which limits rent increases on tenants in covered rental units. Click here to discover the tenant rights and rent limitations provided by California Rent Control (AB 1482).

To learn more about the Glendale Rent Ordinance, continue reading or contact Astanehe Law to discuss your tenant rights and options with an experienced tenant attorney.

Must Glendale Landlords Offer A Written One-Year Lease?

Yes.  Glendale landlords must offer a minimum one-year written lease to new tenants and existing tenants when serving a rent increase notice.  Glendale Municipal Code § 9.30.025.  Glendale landlords are not required to offer a one-year lease to existing tenants who are behind on rent.  Id.

Acceptance of the one-year written least must be in writing.  Id.  Signing the lease is considered written acceptance.  Id.

Glendale tenants can reject the one-year lease and sign a shorter lease term, if desired.  Id.

Which Glendale Tenants are not Entitled to a Written One-Year Lease Offer? 

 The following Glendale tenants are not entitled to a written one-year lease offer:

  1. A subtenant leasing their unit from a tenant for less than a year;
  2. Units on a property with four or fewer units;
  3. Units leased to corporations; or,
  4. Units where the tenancy is an express condition of, or paid for, via the tenant’s employment, provided a written rental agreement or contract exists. Glendale Municipal Code § 9.30.025(H).

Landlord Notification of Written Lease Renewal

At least 90 days before the end of the lease term, Glendale landlords must notify, in writing, Glendale tenants that the one-year written lease is set to expire.  Glendale Municipal Code § 9.30.025(F).  Further, the landlord must offer a written lease renewal with a minimum term of one-year, unless the landlord asserts a just cause reason for eviction.  Id.  The written lease renewal offer must be in writing, state the proposed rent during the renewal lease term, and provide notice of the tenant’s potential eligibility for relocation assistance if the rent increase forces the tenant to vacate the unit.  Id.

How Many Days Does a Glendale Tenant Have to Respond to the Landlord’s Written Lease Renewal Offer?

Following receipt of a written lease renewal, Glendale tenants have 60 days to notify the landlord of their acceptance or intention to vacate the rental unit.  Glendale Municipal Code § 9.30.025(F).  A tenant’s failure to accept the offer in writing is a rejection, so the tenant must respond in writing.  Id.

What Happens After a Glendale Tenant Rejects a Written One-Year Lease Offer?

Where a Glendale tenant rejects a written one-year lease offer, the tenant and landlord may then contract for an oral or written lease that provides for a term of shorter duration.  Glendale Municipal Code § 9.30.025(F).

Any time a tenant rejects a written one-year lease offer, the landlord must subsequently offer a written one-year lease jointly with any rent increase notices served on the tenant, provided the rent increase notice is served after at least one-year has passed since the tenant’s rejection of the prior written one-year lease offer. Glendale Municipal Code § 9.30.025(G).

What Are the Penalties for a Landlord’s Failure to Offer a Written One-Year Lease? 

Glendale landlords who fail to offer tenants a written one-year lease term will not be permitted to increase the rent until presenting the tenant with a written one-year lease. Glendale Municipal Code § 9.30.025(F).

Does the Glendale Rent Ordinance Provide Relocation Assistance for Glendale Tenant Displacement?

Tenants forced to vacate after receiving a rent increase and written one-year lease offer may be entitled to relocation assistance.  Click here to learn about the Glendale Rent Ordinance’s relocation assistance safeguards. The Glendale Rent Ordinance exempts tenants in buildings built after February 1, 1995, from entitlement to relocation assistance following a large rent increase.  Glendale Municipal Code § 9.30.035(F).

My Former Landlord May Have Violated the Glendale Rent Ordinance, Do I have a Claim?

Yes, you may have a claim for wrongful eviction, which could entitle you to money damages.  Read more here or contact Astanehe Law to discuss the Glendale Rent Ordinance, owner move-in wrongful evictions, or California Rent Control (AB 1482) with an experienced tenant attorney.