HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/15/2025 Item 7a, SLO Tenants Union
SLO Tenants Union <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Energy Efficient Renovations Policy
Dear Mayor Stewart and Council:
The San Luis Obispo Tenants Union (SLOTU) supports the City’s decarbonization efforts and your plan,
discussed at the July 15, 2025, City Council study session, to readopt and implement the 2025 Energy
Efficient Renovations Policy for single-family homes and to consider an additions and alterations policy
for multi-family buildings. We also support the adoption of Building Performance Standards to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
We appreciate the concern voiced by Council that implementation of these policies could trigger
unnecessary renovictions. Even if renovations are relatively simple, such as changing out a water heater
or HVAC unit, it is possible that building owners would use such requirements as an excuse to evict
tenants and raise rents substantially.
No one should lose their home because their landlord decides to renovate or remodel, especially if the
landlord intends to flip the unit and rent it out at a higher rate. Some unscrupulous landlords are already
using the “substantial remodel” loophole in the state Tenant Protection Act to evict tenants and raise
rents. Frequently the subsequent work is minimal, and the home is re-rented at two or three times the
original rate.
As you consider tenant protections over the coming months, we encourage the City to adopt a Just
Cause for Eviction Ordinance similar to that in the City of Los Angeles, and to ensure that tenants are
protected from eviction due to “substantial remodels.”
Because decarbonization, energy efficiency, and reduced costs are critical priorities for tenants, SLOTU
hopes to be a partner with the City and other organizations that contribute to the achievement of our
climate goals. It is important to ensure that tenant voices are represented and heard in this discussion.
With thoughtful policy implementation, our climate goals and tenant protection objectives can support
and reinforce each other rather than working in opposition.
Sincerely,
SLO Tenants Union
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We are a Tenant-led organization dedicated to defending and advancing the right to safe, secure, and affordable housing for all in San Luis Obispo County.
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