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Mountain View · Renting & eviction

Relocation payments in Mountain View

City rule: eligible households facing permanent relocation get cash equal to 3 months' rent, based on the city's median rent for a comparable unit.

Key points

  • Relocation pay: City rule: eligible households facing permanent relocation get cash equal to 3 months' rent, based on the city's median rent for a comparable unit.

Each rule below links to the section of the Mountain View Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Mountain View's code says

Mountain View code What Mountain View's code adds
Extra for protected tenants
  • An extra $8,000 per unit, adjusted annually for inflation (CPI) since 2020.
    Applies: For Special-Circumstances Households when permanent relocation assistance is owed.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    An additional eight thousand dollars ($8,000.00) per Rental Unit for Special - Circumstances Households adjusted annually beginning in 2020 for inflation as calculated by the change in the Consumer Price Index.
Amount
  • A full refund of the security deposit, except funds needed to repair tenant damage in units that will be reoccupied.
    Applies: For eligible households facing permanent relocation.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    A full refund of a Tenant's security deposit, except for funds that may be necessary to repair Tenant's damage to property in Rental Units that will be reoccupied.
  • Unlimited access to a rental agency subscription service.
    Applies: For eligible households facing permanent relocation, until the tenant finds housing or the tenancy ends, whichever is earlier.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    Unlimited access to a subscription service to a rental agency until the earlier of the Tenant securing alternative housing or the termination of the tenancy.
  • Relocation support from a third-party agency, including up to 5 rounds of housing referrals.
    Applies: For eligible households facing permanent relocation.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    This also shall include up to five (5) rounds of housing referrals based on a review of available rental listings, including internet listings, contact with property management companies, affordable housing opportunities (including wait-list opportunities), and other housing leads.
  • Cash equal to 3 months' rent, based on the city's median monthly rent for a comparable unit.
    Applies: For eligible households facing permanent relocation.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    The cash equivalent of three (3) months' rent, based on the median monthly rent for a Comparable Rental Unit as determined by the City of Mountain View based on a survey taken at least quarterly of apartment rents in Mountain View.
  • Professional movers paid in full by the landlord, or reimbursement of moving costs; the landlord chooses.
    Applies: For permanent relocation; owed to every displaced household, eligible or not.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    The landlord may select either of the following forms of moving assistance: (i) professional moving services from a licensed moving company paid in full by the landlord; or (ii) reimbursement of the Tenant's Moving Costs
  • Daily payment covering the gap between the tenant's current daily rent and a comparable unit's; no rent owed while displaced.
    Applies: One option a temporarily displaced tenant may choose.
    § 46.2-1.25 · code text
    A per diem payment equal to the difference in the Tenant's current per diem rent for the Rental Unit and the per diem rent for a Comparable Rental Unit based on the median monthly rent for a Comparable Rental Unit as determined by the city based on a quarterly survey of apartment rents in the city.
  • Adequately sized temporary housing at the landlord's cost, with cooking and on-site laundry, within 5 miles; tenant keeps paying rent.
    Applies: One option a temporarily displaced tenant may choose.
    § 46.2-1.25 · code text
    Alternative accommodations at the Landlord's cost for the period of time during which the Tenant is displaced in a temporary accommodation, including at a Comparable Rental Unit, a short-term rental, hotel, motel or extended stay motel that is adequate in size for the Tenant's household, contains cooking facilities and on-site laundry facilities and is within a five-mile radius of the Rental Unit.
Exemptions
  • No permanent assistance for mobile home owners when a park conversion has a City-approved closure impact report mitigating relocation impacts.
    Applies: Mobile home park conversions under Chapter 28 or Government Code 65863.7; mobile home tenants who do not own their home remain eligible.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    When any portion of a mobile home park is being converted pursuant to Chapter 28 of this Code or California Government Code Section 65863.7, and the City has approved a closure impact report that mitigates relocation impacts on mobile home owners.
  • No permanent assistance after fire, flood, earthquake or natural disaster damage the landlord did not cause or significantly contribute to.
    Applies: The local enforcement agency determines the damage.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    When a Rental Unit must be vacated because it was damaged or destroyed by a fire, flood, earthquake, or other natural disaster, and the landlord did not cause or significantly contribute to the damage, as determined by the local enforcement agency.
  • No permanent assistance for temporary displacement due to substantial rehabilitation.
    Applies: The landlord acts in good faith and has all needed City or State permits.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    Temporary displacement covered by Section 46.2-1.25 below due to Substantial Rehabilitation work, where the landlord is acting in good faith and has obtained all necessary permits from the City (or the State, if applicable).
  • No permanent assistance if the household failed to pay rent as required or committed an unlawful detainer on specified grounds.
    Applies: Shown by a final court judgment.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    The Residential Household has not paid rent as required by the rental housing agreement or was found to have committed an unlawful detainer pursuant to Subdivisions 2, 3, 4 or 5 of § 1161 of the California Code of Civil Procedure as evidenced by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
  • Only a 60-day rental agency subscription.
    Applies: Households told before signing their lease that a City application to convert or demolish the unit, which would displace them, was already filed or approved.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    shall only be eligible for a sixty (60) day subscription to a rental agency.
When it is paid
  • Within 14 days after the landlord receives invoices or other proof of expenses from the tenant.
    Applies: Reimbursing moving costs for permanent relocation.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    the landlord shall reimburse the Tenant for Moving Costs within fourteen (14) days of receipt of invoices or other proof of expenses from the Tenant.
  • Within 14 days after the landlord receives invoices or other proof of expenses from the tenant.
    Applies: Reimbursing moving costs for temporary relocation.
    § 46.2-1.25 · code text
    If the Landlord elects to reimburse the Tenant for Moving Costs, the Landlord shall pay the Tenant the Moving Costs within fourteen (14) days of receipt of invoices or other proof of expenses received from the Tenant.
  • Within 15 days after receiving the third-party agency's notice of eligibility.
    Applies: For no-fault terminations and other displacements that do not need a City application.
    § 46.2-2.10 · code text
    Within fifteen (15) days after receiving notification of eligibility from the Third-Party Agency, the Landlord shall pay the full relocation assistance amount directly to the Tenant.
When relocation is owed
  • The landlord withdraws all rental units from the rental market.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    The landlord seeks in good faith to recover possession of the Rental Unit to withdraw all Rental Units on a single parcel or lot or all Rental Units owned by a landlord on the property from the rental housing market as provided in California Government Code § 7060, et seq., or other applicable law, if any.
  • Demolition of the rental unit.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    The landlord has received all necessary permits from the City and intends, in good faith, to permanently remove the Rental Unit from use as a rental by demolishing it.
  • A government order requires the tenant to vacate.
    Applies: Not owed if agency finds tenant substantially caused it; temporary assistance applies if the landlord tells the City in writing it will fix it.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    If a government enforcement agency issues an order requiring the Tenant(s) to vacate the Rental Unit, unless the agency determines that the Tenant substantially caused or created the condition that led to the order.
  • Converting the building to a condominium, community apartment, or stock cooperative.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    The landlord seeks to convert the rental building into a condominium, community apartment or stock cooperative, as those terms are defined in the California Government Code and Business and Professions Code.
  • Changing the property from residential to nonresidential use that needs a City permit or approval.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    A change of use of real property from a residential use to a nonresidential use that requires a permit or approval from the City.
  • Converting rental units to ownership units that were rented out after being approved for sale.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    The change from rental to ownership units where the units were rented out for a period of time after being approved for sale.
  • Owner move-in.
    § 46.2-1.20 · code text
    The landlord seeks to recover possession of the Rental Unit pursuant to Mountain View Charter Section 1705(a)(7) or Mountain View City Code Section 46.1.40(a)(7) ("Owner move-in").
  • Substantial rehabilitation that requires the tenant to move out temporarily.
    Applies: Temporary assistance applies once all needed City or State permits are obtained and the landlord acts in good faith.
    § 46.2-1.25 · code text
    After having obtained all necessary permits from the City (or the State, if applicable), the Landlord seeks in good faith to undertake Substantial Rehabilitation of the Rental Unit.
  • A government order requires the tenant to vacate temporarily.
    Applies: The landlord notifies the City in writing that it intends to promptly fix the cited condition.
    § 46.2-1.25 · code text
    A government enforcement agency issues an order requiring the Tenant(s) to vacate the Rental Unit, and the Landlord formally notifies the City in writing that they intend to promptly fix the condition cited in the order.

The California rule underneath

Where Mountain View's rule above does not cover a situation, state law still applies. For the statewide rule on its own, see Relocation under California's just-cause law.

CA state law The statewide rule underneath
No-fault eviction relocation assistance
One month's rent (as relocation payment or rent waiver), paid within 15 calendar days of the notice
Applies: For no-fault just causes (owner move-in, withdrawal from market, substantial remodel, government order) on covered units; regardless of the tenant's income.

Who this affects

TenantsLandlordsProperty managers

Frequently asked questions

Does a Mountain View landlord have to pay relocation?

City rule: eligible households facing permanent relocation get cash equal to 3 months' rent, based on the city's median rent for a comparable unit.

General information, not legal advice.

Ask about a specific Mountain View property

Ask GoCodebook how Mountain View's relocation payments rules apply to your situation and get an answer that cites the section.

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