Relocation payments

Seeking to protect Los Angeles renters from unscrupulous landlords, the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday voted to require landlords to tell tenants of their rental rights during so-called “cash for keys” deals.

Under the new law, landlords seeking to remove tenants from rent-controlled properties with cash offers must now draw up buyout agreements with those renters. A copy must be filed with the city.

Additionally, tenants may back out of the agreement for any reason within 30 days.

On Tuesday night, the Mountain View City Council is poised to strengthen the city's tenant relocation ordinance, a policy that is a key component of Measure W. Revisions to the policy will determine how aggressively city leaders want to discourage evictions.

As Silicon Valley's housing market heats up and tighter rent regulations from City Hall loom, landlords are trading rent-controlled units for market-rate housing faster than ever. Now one councilman wants them to pay to move displaced tenants.

The program, the first of its kind in San Jose, would require landlords to refund tenants' security deposits and pay relocation benefits to low- and very low-income households. The payout would be equal to three months of market-rate rent, said Councilman Chappie Jones, who released the plan Friday.