The Novato City Council adopted a Tenant Protections Ordinance (“Ordinance”) on April 28, 2026, as part of implementing its state mandated 6^th Cycle Housing Element and Program 5.I Consider expanding just cause eviction protections to all tenants.

Following a series of public workshops and study sessions, the Council adopted Ordinance No. 1731, adding Section 4-17 to the NMC, which maintains state-law protections for landlords in the areas of owner move in, withdrawal from the market and at-fault evictions, while also expanding noticing, relocation assistance and the right for return protections for tenants displaced due to no-fault substantial renovation evictions or a government order to vacate. The ordinance, as adopted, supersedes the State’s Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB1482).

Review the full ordinance here:

NMC 4-17 Tenant Protections Ordinance (English)

NMC 4-17 Tenant Protections Ordinance (Spanish)

No. The Novato Tenant Protection Ordinance does not regulate rent prices and rent control and rent stabilization are not included in the work plan of the 6^th Cycle Housing Element.

The Ordinance applies to all tenants and tenant households in the City of Novato* on the first day of the term of their rental agreements.  The ordinance is applicable to most multi-family residential rentals in Novato, including apartment units, single room occupancy units (SROs), units newer than 15 years old, deed restricted affordable units, and even applicable units that are not legally permitted, unless specifically exempted.

For a full list of applicable units see NMC Section 4-17.3.A.

*The rental unit MUST be located within the City Limits of Novato to be applicable. You can use the Jurisdictional look up tool to confirm the jurisdiction of the rental unit. Type in the address and confirm that “Jurisdiction” identifies the site as “Novato” and not “Unincorporated”.  Unincorporated properties are not subject to NMC 4-17.

Some rental units are not covered by the Ordinance, including:

• Single‑family homes, single condominium units and individual mobile homes located on a single parcel; AND owned by individuals (not corporations/REITs)
• Owner‑occupied single-family homes (renting no more than two rooms) and mobile homes
• ADUs/JADUs attached to an owner‑occupied home
• Dormitories, hospitals, care facilities
• Temporary tenancies (<12 months) in an owner’s primary residence

A complete and detailed list of exemptions is provided in NMC Section 4-17.3.B.

Just cause is the premise that landlords must have a valid reason to evict tenants. Landlords may only evict for at‑fault or no‑fault reasons as defined in the Ordinance.

“At-fault” just cause is a legal justification for eviction when the landlord evicts a tenant for a specific documented violation of the lease or Ordinance.  This action places responsibility for the eviction on the tenant, and as such, this action does not entitle the tenant to relocation assistance. Examples of at-fault causes in the Ordinance include:

• Nonpayment of rent
• Breach of lease
• Nuisance or waste, as those terms are defined by law
• Criminal activity
• Unauthorized subletting
• Failure to deliver possession of unit at time specified

A complete and detailed list of at-fault causes is provided in NMC Section 4-17.5.B.

Yes. If the tenant pays the full amount within the 3 days, however, the tenancy continues.

"No-fault" just cause is a legal justification for eviction where the landlord terminates a tenancy for reasons unrelated to tenant misconduct.  Examples and scenarios: 

• Owner Move-In: The landlord or a close family member (spouse, child, parent, grandparent) intends to move into the unit as their primary residence.
  
  
• Substantial Remodel/Demolition: The landlord plans to demolish or perform major renovations that cannot be done while the unit is occupied.
  
  
• Withdrawal from Rental Market: The landlord chooses to stop renting the unit or complex entirely.
  
  
• Government Order aka “Red-Tag”: Compliance with a government directive and notice to vacate, in response to a code violation or building condemnation.

For these types of evictions, the Ordinance requires the landlord to pay relocation assistance to the tenant as follows within 30 days:

• Owner Move‑In: 1 month HUD FMR* + reasonable, documented moving expenses
  
  
• Withdrawal from the Market: 2 months HUD FMR + reasonable, documented moving expenses

*U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Market Rent (FMR) for Marin County.

See the HUD website for annual updates.

For these types of evictions, the Ordinance requires the landlord to pay relocation assistance to the tenant as follows within 15 days:

• Substantial renovation: Payment to the Tenant depends on the duration of the displacement, as follows:
• 0–30 days: $250/day per household (adjusted yearly with CPI)
• 31–179 days: 1 month’s rent + HUD FMR* rent‑differential payments every 30 days of displacement
• 180+ days: 2 months HUD FMR

• Government order to vacate: Same as above, plus
• 2 months HUD FMR plus service deposit for utilities

If the Notice to Vacate offers tenants less than 10 days’ notice, the landlord must also pay the tenant within 24 hours after notice is posted and mailed as per State Health & Safety Code section 17975.1.

*U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Market Rent (FMR) for Marin County.

See the HUD website for annual updates.

Yes. For no-fault evictions, landlords generally must provide the tenant with a written offer to reoccupy the unit under the same terms and at the lawful rental rate in effect at the time the eviction or notice to vacate was served, plus any lawful rent adjustments applied thereafter, if/when the unit becomes available for tenant occupancy again. Tenants have 30 days to accept the offer. Minor distinctions are noted below:

• Substantial Renovations: Landlord must offer right of return within 30 days of completion of the work
• Government Order to Vacate: Landlord must offer right of return within 30 days of the government agency lifting its Notice and Order to Vacate
• Move In: Right of Return activates if the qualifying owner or relative fails to occupy the unit within 90 days and/or if they fail to occupy the unit for 12 consecutive months, landlord must re-offer rental to vacated tenant household
• Withdraw from the Rental Market: Right of Return activates if the unit is offered for rent or lease within two (2) years of the date the rental unit was withdrawn from the rental market.

Yes. Landlords must provide a written notice of tenant rights:

• Within 90 days of the Ordinance taking effect
• At lease signing and at renewal
• With any rent increase or change in terms
• When listing the property for sale
• Within 30 days of acquiring the property
• Must be in English and Spanish (and other languages upon request)

Failure to provide this notice will render any change in terms or eviction notice invalid.  See NMC Section 4-17.4 for details.

Special noticing required for no-fault evictions related to Substantial Renovations, Owner Move-In, and Withdrawal from the Rental Market is detailed in NMC Section 4-17.7.

A Summary of Tenant Rights is provided by the City for landlords use.

Summary of Tenant Rights (English)

Summary of Tenant Rights (Spanish)

A valid Notice to Terminate must be offered no less than 30 days prior to the effective date of the termination, must be in writing, and include:

• Landlord’s name and address
• Unit address
• Service date
• Current rent and start date of tenancy
• Stated just cause
• Relocation rights (for no‑fault cases)
• Must be in English and Spanish (and other languages upon request)

A landlord must provide an electronic PDF copy of the Notice of Termination to the City of Novato’s Community Development Department within ten (10) days of serving the tenant the notice.

Send Notice to CodeEnforcement@Novato.gov and include the address of the unit and date of termination in the document’s title (eg. 1305 Leafwood Unit 5_6-2-2026).

See NMS Section 4-17.6 for details.

No. These are exceptions to the Ordinance provisions. Exceptions to a landlord’s obligation to pay relocation assistance are cited in NMC Section 4-17.8 B.7.

No. Landlords are not obligated to renew a lease when it expires and can allow it to terminate, provided they give proper notice. 

Landlords may not:

• Reduce services to retaliate
  
  
• Attempt to coerce tenants to vacate
  
  
• Refuse lawful rent payments
  
  
• Interfere with tenant organizing
  
  
• Remove belongings without consent

A landlord’s failure to comply with the Ordinance shall be an affirmative defense to an unlawful detainer action. Tenants may:

• Use violations as a defense in eviction court
  
  
• Sue for damages, attorney’s fees, and up to triple damages
  
  
• Seek injunctions
  
  
• Recover unpaid relocation assistance

No. Any waiver is void. See NMC Section 4-17.9.C and Section 4-17.11.

Both tenants and the City may enforce it. The City may bring actions for compliance, and tenants may sue for damages in civil court. See NMC Section 4-17.12 for more details.