Redwood City's Rental Property Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles rental property rules a little differently. In Redwood City, California, there are 4 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Relocation Assistance

Redwood City Code Section 42.6 requires landlords who end a tenancy for a no-fault reason to pay relocation assistance equal to one month's rent, or waive the final month's rent, within 15 days. Lower-income households get an added cash payment of up to three or four months of Fair Market Rent, a security deposit refund and a rental-agency subscription.

Key details: Base relocation payment: 1 month's rent or final-month rent waiver. Payment deadline: 15 calendar days after notice. Eligible household extra payment: 3 months Fair Market Rent. Special-circumstances household cap: 4 months Fair Market Rent total. Income threshold: 80% of San Mateo County AMI.

A landlord's failure to strictly comply with Section 42.6, including missing the 15-day payment deadline or the notice-of-termination content requirements in Section 42.6(D), renders the notice of termination void under Section 42.6(A)(6). Under Section 42.8, that noncompliance also gives the tenant a complete affirmative defense to any eviction or rent-collection action, plus the right to sue for actual damages, treble damages for willful, oppressive, fraudulent or malicious conduct, punitive damages, injunctive relief, and attorneys' fees and costs.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Redwood City actively enforces its relocation assistance requirements.

Just Cause Eviction

In Redwood City, once a tenant has continuously and lawfully occupied a rental unit for 12 months, the landlord may not terminate the tenancy without a stated just cause, which must be given in the written notice to terminate.

Key details: Protection begins: After 12 months' occupancy. Requires: Stated just cause. Notice: Cause stated in writing. Code section: RCC 42.5.

Terminating a covered tenancy without a stated just cause violates Redwood City Code section 42.5 and exposes the landlord to the tenant remedies in section 42.8.

Repairs & Habitability

Redwood City's property maintenance article, City Code Section 14.70, exists to protect habitability, appearance and property values by requiring a baseline level of upkeep on every parcel. Section 14.72 turns that purpose into an enforceable list: abandoned buildings left unsecured for six months, graffiti-covered or broken-window structures, and unmaintained swimming pools with polluted water are each declared public nuisances the City can order abated.

Key details: Purpose: Protect habitability, appearance, property values (Sec. 14.70). Enforcement Officer: Building Official (Sec. 14.71). Abandoned-building trigger: Unsecured 6+ consecutive months (Sec. 14.72G). Notice period: At least 10 days before hearing (Sec. 14.75). Appeal deadline: 15 days to City Council (Sec. 14.78).

Section 14.73 makes maintaining or permitting any Section 14.72 nuisance, or violating an abatement order, an infraction punishable under Section 1.7B of the Code. Failing to vacate a building under an abatement order is a separate infraction, as is obstructing or interfering with the Enforcement Officer's abatement work or removing a posted notice.

Rental Registration

Redwood City requires a landlord who rents four or more dwelling units to obtain a business license before operating, under City Code Section 32.105. The license carries an annual registration fee plus a per-unit incremental tax, and applies on top of any short-term rental registration.

Key details: Governing section: City Code Sec. 32.105. Threshold: 4+ rental units triggers the license. Annual fee: $90, effective July 1, 2025. Per-unit tax: $31 per rental unit. Late penalty: 10%/month, capped at 100%.

Section 32.108 adds a ten percent penalty on delinquent license taxes plus another ten percent for each additional month the tax remains unpaid, capped at one hundred percent of the tax owed. Operating a residential rental business of four or more units without first obtaining the required license violates Section 32.105 and exposes the landlord to the delinquency penalties and any general code enforcement remedies available to the City.

The Bottom Line

Redwood City's rental property rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Redwood City is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Redwood City's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.