City of Lemon Grove Tenant Protection Ordinance

July 21 Hearing Update - Draft Ordinance Approved with One Modification


At the July 21, 2026, hearing of the Lemon Grove City Council, staff presented a draft ordinance based on the direction provided at the July 7 hearing. The draft largely mirrors state law with a few minor exceptions:

  • Notification of existing law and tenant protections at both lease signing and termination of tenancy.
  • Refining the definition of Substantial Remodel by listing the items and repairs that do not qualify as Substantial Remodel, similar to the approach implemented in Imperial Beach.
  • Expanding and enhancing education and outreach for all parties.


The council was also presented with an option to extend the existing urgency ordinance. SCRHA testified on both items as did many property owners and tenants.

Several councilmembers argued that there have not been additional no-fault terminations like those that triggered the urgency ordinance, and therefore, it should expire. The Mayor and Councilmember Mendoza argued that tenants still need protections until a permanent ordinance is in place. Ultimately, the extension did not get the 4 votes needed to pass. That ordinance will expire on August 2, 2026.

The draft permanent Tenant Protection Ordinance presented by city staff failed to receive enough votes to pass. That resulted in numerous confusing alternative motions that ended up failing to receive enough votes, including one from Councilmember Altamirano that called for parts of the draft ordinance plus exploring data collection. Mayor Snow continued to push for stricter protections, including protections at day one of tenancy, additional relocation payments, and more.

In the end, the council approved the ordinance as drafted plus data collection, which means that housing providers will be required to provide copies of termination notices to the city.

SCRHA will notify members when the ordinance comes back for its next hearing. The next City Council meeting is scheduled for August 18. 

July 7 Hearing Update - Victory for Housing Providers in Lemon Grove
Thank you to all the members who have weighed in on the Lemon Grove Tenant Protection Ordinance over the past several months. At the July 7 council meeting, the City Council finally provided staff with direction on a local ordinance. SCRHA was well represented, and as with previous hearings, nearly all public speakers opposed a local ordinance. The good news is that a majority of the Council heard housing provider concerns and made clear that they believe state law remains the best path forward.

Several possibilities were on the table. Some of the most problematic ideas from Northern California rent control cities were presented as options for a local ordinance. Mayor Snow pushed for the strictest regulations, including removing Substantial Remodel as a “no-fault” just cause, extending protections to the first day of tenancy, requiring significantly higher relocation payments, regulating buyout agreements, and more. 

Ultimately, the Council directed staff to largely follow state law, the Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482), with a few minor modifications. Specifically:

  • Require notification of existing law and tenant protections at both lease signing and termination of tenancy.
  • Refine the definition of Substantial Remodel by listing the items and repairs that do not qualify as Substantial Remodel, similar to the approach implemented in Imperial Beach.
  • Expand and enhance education and outreach for all parties.

The Council also agreed to extend the temporary ordinance until a formal ordinance is adopted. Scroll down if you need more information on the temporary ordinance and how to comply.

City staff is expected to return to the Council with a draft ordinance in the coming weeks. SCRHA will provide updates once the draft ordinance and meeting agenda are available.

May 19 Lemon Grove Hearing Recap: What Happens Next 

SCRHA would like to sincerely thank all of the rental owners and managers who attended the Lemon Grove City Council hearing on May 19. We know it was a long and abnormal meeting. Even if you couldn’t stay until 10:30 p.m. when the item finally came up, your presence was felt and appreciated.

The meeting began 45 minutes late due to issues with microphones. Under The Brown Act, the public must be able to both see and hear deliberations and understand proceedings. While the tech issues were disappointing, we appreciate that city staff did their best to adhere to the law.

Unfortunately, this also meant that time was an issue and despite the Tenant Protection item being #2 on the agenda, the Mayor stated that they had to hear three other items that evening and therefore was pushing Item 2 to the end of the meeting. When one councilmember asked the audience to stand if they were there for the Tenant Protection Ordinance, more than half the room stood up. Despite that, they proceeded as the Mayor had outlined.

At 10:30, city staff, with the help of outside special counsel, presented information on current law and options for additional local tenant protections. When they moved on to public comments, all speakers expressed their opposition to a local ordinance. Interestingly, the Mayor paused to ask if any tenants in the room wanted to speak. This is unusual since the process is to fill out a speaker slip and submit to city staff in advance.

Once public comment was complete, the Mayor stated that she did not want to continue on to council discussion because it was late and suggested continuing the item to the second council meeting in June. As the Council deliberated, the Mayor stated that “she worked” and “needed a nap.”  Councilmember Heredia wanted to continue discussions. Councilmember Altamirano motioned to postpone any further discussion of an ordinance until the existing temporary urgency ordinance expires in August. Ultimately, the Mayor received support from two other colleagues.

Next steps. Discussion on the item should occur on June 16. Hopefully that agenda will not include other pressing matters and the Tenant Protection Ordinance will get the deliberation it deserves. SCRHA will continue to advocate for consistency with state law with additional focus on education and outreach.

Important Update: On March 17, the Lemon Grove City Council voted to amend the existing urgency ordinance to remove the 120 Days Termination Notice requirement. SCRHA contended all along that this provision contradicts state law which rules the field on noticing periods. SCRHA will amend its Lemon Grove specific termination form accordingly. 

Additionally, the city has scheduled two Tenant Protection Workshops. This is an opportunity for owners and managers of rental property in Lemon Grove, and residents to learn more about current law and local ordinance options. More importantly, this is a chance to voice your concerns on additional local regulations (such as stricter substantial remodel requirements and additional relocation payments) and how they might impact your ability to provide rental housing. 

  • Tuesday, March 24 - 6pm - Lemon Grove Community Center, 3146 School Ln., Lemon Grove, CA 91945 
  • Thursday, April 9 - 6pm - Lemon Grove Community Center, 3146 School Ln., Lemon Grove, CA 91945

SCRHA has prepared a comprehensive guide that provides an overview of state law, local ordinances, and policy concerns as they relate to local tenant protection ordinances. 

Download the SCRHA Guide to CA Tenant Protection Act and Local Ordinances

On February 3, 2026, the Lemon Grove City Council was presented with draft Tenant Protection Ordinances, both an urgency ordinance that would go into effect right away, and a traditional ordinance. While neither draft as included in the agenda packet was approved, the Council did pass an ordinance to provide immediate protections for No-Fault Just Cause Terminations of Tenancy.  

The Urgency Ordinance that passed basically consists of existing state law (the Tenant Protection Act/AB 1482) with additional restrictions on No-Fault Terminations. The ordinance will sunset 180 days from the day of passage.  

The additional protections are:  

  • 120-Days' Notice of Termination of Tenancy for all No-Fault Causes* 

  • Relocation consisting of one month of actual rent AND one month at the HUD Small Fair Market Rent when terminating tenancy for No-Fault Cause. 

    • For persons below 80% of the county median income, persons 60 years of age or older, disabled, or households with minor children, the amount is equal to one month of actual rent AND two month's HUD Small Fair Market Rent. 

SCRHA has created a Termination of Tenancy Form specific to the Lemon Grove Urgency Ordinance, Form #424.  

Because the ordinance largely consists of the core components of the Tenant Protection Act/AB 1482 as it relates to Just Cause, properties exempt from state law are also exempt from the current Lemon Grove ordinance. More info on state law. 

*It's important to note that case law has established that state law rules the field when it comes to notice periods. Other jurisdictions have tried to extend termination notice periods only to change course. SCRHA has made city officials aware and is hopeful that the Council will amend the ordinance accordingly.  

The Council made it clear that while the ordinance is in effect, they want to conduct significant outreach to the community and gather stakeholder input so they can return at some point to craft a permanent ordinance. In addition to community workshops, they requested stakeholder meetings to include affected tenants, tenant groups, legal aid, landlords, and rental housing organizations. SCRHA has requested a seat at that table.