New rent rules and climate adaptation funding
On April 7, City Council will take up a packed agenda combining housing policy updates with investments in climate resilience. Councilmembers will consider amendments to the City’s Rent Control Ordinance aimed at strengthening tenant protections and clarifying rules and fees. Council will also review a coordinated package of funding and contract actions to advance Phase 3 of the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project, including acceptance of a $2.64 million state grant and multiple consultant agreements supporting design, scientific review, and community engagement.
[1]Rent Control Ordinance amendments and fee updates
City Council will consider a comprehensive update to the City’s Rent Control Ordinance, along with clarification of rent program fees and the rescission of an outdated Ellis Act policy resolution governing what happens when a landlord permanently removes rental units from the housing market. The amendments aim to clarify existing rules, codify current practices, and introduce targeted policy changes in response to evolving housing conditions.
A central policy change would allow the Council to review certain hearing officer decisions when those rulings could undermine key elements of the ordinance. Currently, only tenants or landlords may seek judicial review. The update would create a pathway for Council oversight while preserving the right of affected parties to pursue court review.
The proposal strengthens tenant protections. Tenants displaced by an illegal eviction would have the right to return to their unit at the same rent and be reimbursed for moving costs. New rules clarify that permanent relocation payments apply only when displacement exceeds seven days. Short-term relocation assistance continues to apply to shorter disruptions, such as those caused by repairs. Additional provisions aim to reduce repetitive hearings and ensure the timely filing of buyout agreements.
Several amendments codify existing Rent Program practices, including documentation requirements for temporary rent reductions, full compliance standards before landlords can raise rents, and policies for single-room occupancy (SRO) units and disability accommodations. Clarifications also address responsibilities when properties change ownership and define partially versus fully exempt below-market-rate units.
A related resolution clarifies when rent program fees apply, continuing fee waivers for Section 8 landlords but not for other subsidized units. Another resolution rescinds the prior Ellis Act policy, reflecting incorporation of the rules into Rent Program regulations. Future amendments may address utility billing practices.
Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project funding
City Council will consider authorizing the acceptance of $2.64 million in Proposition 68 grant funding from the State Coastal Conservancy to implement Phase 3 of the Bay Farm Island (BFI) Adaptation Project [2] to address sea level rise. Council will also consider allocating $50,000 from the 2025-26 General Fund budget and $50,000 from the 2026-27 General Fund budget to cover Public Works staff costs not funded by the grant.
The project aims to remove the lagoon area of BFI from the 100-year floodplain, bolster the northern shoreline and the Bay Trail against erosion, enhance shoreline habitat with nature-based solutions, and enhance public recreation, including improvements to the San Francisco Bay Trail. Given the project’s complexity and cost, it is being implemented in phases.
Phase 3 has a two-year timeframe and aims to continue design to 60%, complete environmental documentation, coordinate permitting, conduct community engagement, and include potential interim measures along Island Drive to reduce flood risk sooner. The proposal continues a multi-phase, long-term effort to build climate resilience infrastructure while positioning the City to pursue additional funding for future phases.
The City must accept the grant by April 2026 to meet state deadlines.
Conger Moss Guillard contract amendment for sea level rise work
City Council will consider approving an amendment to its contract with Conger Moss Guillard Landscape Architecture (CMG) by $3.41 million, bringing the total contract to $6.8 million, to continue technical work on sea level rise adaptation projects.
The amendment supports Phase 3 of the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project, including advancing designs to 60%, completing environmental documentation, coordinating permits, and conducting community engagement. It also funds work on the Shoreline Adaptation Plan, required under state law (SB 272).
Funding includes $2.56 million from the Proposition 68 grant for the Bay Farm Island project and $855,853 from an SB1 grant for the broader adaptation plan.
Greenbelt Alliance contract amendment
City Council will consider approving an amendment to its contract with Greenbelt Alliance by $151,382, increasing the total agreement to $405,382, to continue community engagement and outreach for sea level rise adaptation efforts.
The work supports both the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project and the Shoreline Adaptation Plan, ensuring residents and stakeholders are involved as the City advances flood protection strategies, shoreline improvements, and long-term climate resilience planning required under state law.
Proposition 68 funds will support Bay Farm Island outreach, while SB1 funds will support the broader adaptation plan.
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CASA contract amendment
City Council will consider approving an amendment to its agreement with Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda (CASA) by $66,560, bringing the total contract to $135,970, to support community engagement for sea level rise adaptation efforts.
The funding will support outreach for both the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project and the Shoreline Adaptation Plan, ensuring public participation as the City advances flood protection strategies and long-term climate resilience planning required under state law.
Proposition 68 funds will support engagement for the Bay Farm Island project, while SB1 funds will support outreach for the Shoreline Adaptation Plan.
San Francisco Estuary Institute contract amendment
City Council will consider amending the City’s agreement with the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) by $44,200, increasing the total contract to $79,140, to provide scientific peer review services for sea level rise adaptation projects.
SFEI will serve as a scientific advisor for both the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project and the Shoreline Adaptation Plan, helping ensure that design and planning efforts—particularly nature-based shoreline strategies—are grounded in sound science.
Proposition 68 funds will support the Bay Farm Island design review, while SB1 funds will support scientific services for the Shoreline Adaptation Plan.
How to participate
The meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 7, at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, located on the third floor of City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Avenue.
Members of the public are welcome to participate in person or via Zoom. They may comment on the Non-Agenda, Consent Calendar, and Regular Agenda portions of the Meeting Agenda [3] (link downloads document).
The Non-Agenda portion of the meeting provides an opportunity for members of the public to address the Council regarding any matter not on the agenda over which the Council has jurisdiction. The Consent Calendar is intended for routine items and is approved by a single motion. The Regular Agenda is the central portion of the meeting, where each issue receives a presentation and time for Council discussion and public comment.
Complete this online form [4] to request reasonable accommodation.
Click here [5] for Zoom registration. The Zoom phone number for telephone participants is 669-900-9128; the Meeting ID is 893 3058 2645.
Information to assist with remote participation is available online in the Public Comment and City Council Meeting Guide [6]. The meeting can also be viewed on the City of Alameda’s Facebook page [7]. Note that comments posted there are not monitored.
For each issue, public speakers will have three minutes to speak if fewer than five are speaking, or two minutes if five or more are speaking.
Community members may also email Council Members [8] on issues of interest before meetings.
Contributing writer Karin K. Jensen covers boards and commissions for the Alameda Post [9]. Contact her via [email protected] [10]. Her writing is collected at https://linktr.ee/karinkjensen [11] and https://alamedapost.com/Karin-K-Jensen [12].