City of Novato Tenant Protections Ordinance Now in Effect

The City of Novato's Tenant Protections Ordinance is now in effect, strengthening protections, reducing displacement and supporting safer, more stable housing for renters while keeping key rights in place for landlords.

Adopted by the Novato City Council on April 28, 2026, the ordinance expands protections for renters who are forced to move through no fault of their own. These situations include temporary or permanent displacement caused by major repair work or when the building is ordered to be vacated for safety reasons.

The ordinance keeps all existing State-law protections for landlords if a tenant is at fault (including non-payment of rent and lease violations) while adding local requirements such as relocation assistance and the right for return for displaced residents subject to no fault evictions.

Key provisions include:

• Relocation assistance and right-to-return protections for tenants displaced due to major repairs or unsafe building conditions
• Permanent relocation payments for certain no-fault evictions
• Continued state-law protections for landlords in cases involving non-payment of rent or lease violations
• Expanded tenant noticing requirements in English, Spanish, and other languages upon request

Effective immediately, landlords are required to provide tenants with a written Notice of Tenant Rights within 90 days of the ordinance going into effect, and at key points during a tenancy. The City is offering a Summary of Tenant Rights in English and Spanish that landlords can use to meet this requirement.

Landlords are also now required to send a copy of any eviction notice to the City of Novato within 10 days of serving the notice to a tenant. Failure to follow these notice requirements could make certain lease changes or eviction notices invalid.

Community Q&A Sessions
The City is hosting online, drop-in sessions to help tenants, landlords and community members understand the new ordinance.

• Tuesday, June 2 from 3-4pm
• Thursday, June 4 from 3-4pm
• Thursday, June 11 from 5-6pm (English and Spanish)

The ordinance was developed through community meetings with tenants, landlords and housing advocates, and is informed by Novato's Housing Element (adopted in 2024), which includes a goal to prevent displacement and ensure tenant protections.

Additional resources, including Zoom links for Q&A sessions and tenant and landlord education materials, are available in English and Spanish at novato.gov/tenantprotections