San Leandro’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) master fee schedule is now in effect after an April 20 city council vote. The fee schedule is how the city will make money off the rent stabilization program.
One focus is the future RSO staff, who will issue and process program fees. Fees include a base rent program fee, an additional rent stabilization program fee, and a petition fee to increase or decrease rent.
There was a concern about petition fees to decrease rent, since tenants would be further burdened by the fee. The council decided to temporarily not charge the petition fees.
The program start date has been pushed back six months from July 31, 2026, to January 31, 2027. Staff said this would allow time to gather data on registered units, align with business license renewal dates, and have more time to outreach to landlords and tenants. The rental unit registry deadline for landlords will also be on January 31.
The program budget for the first year of the RSO includes staff salaries, consulting and translation of ordinance policies, rental registry software maintenance, and operations. The city also plans to spend $125,000 on furniture and fixtures for a new RSO office inside city hall.
City staff said there would be a staggering hiring plan for the RSO staff, meaning they plan to gradually hire before the program launches in January. A management analyst II staff member just started in mid-March. San Leandro is currently recruiting for a housing program specialist II, and they plan to hire a second one in July, along with a housing program manager. An administrative assistant would then be hired in January and if needed, a housing program specialist in July 2027.
One person from a realtors association said he is concerned about the financial aspects of the program. “Will you be cutting other programs to cover the commitments you’ve made to this program? Also, what is the current city budget deficit?” he asked. “We are very concerned about the infrastructure of this community, about public safety, about library services, about other programs that make this a desirable place to live.”
Another person argued that rental units are being preserved through the RSO. “Over time, these rent stabilization ordinances create a stock of affordable, rent-controlled units, at not a penny’s cost to the city. It’s efficient, it’s cost effective, and it is sound, public policy.”
