Thanks to a large community organizing effort, a historic victory has been won for Mountain View! Measure V goes into effect on December 23, 2016, and will limit rent increases on pre-1995 apartments and protect against no cause evictions. To prevent evictions before then, the City Council has approved an emergency ordinance to make Measure V’s “Just Cause for Eviction” protections effective immediately.

Know your rights!

Evictions: Your landlord now needs to state one of the 9 “just causes” listed in Measure V in any termination notice or notice to vacate (if you live in an apartment building with three units or more). Only condos, duplexes, single family homes and post 2016 apartments are exempt from this. If you received a notice to vacate (60-day or 30-day) — even if it was before Nov. 15 — you should contact one of the legal resources listed below as soon as possible for help. If you have been served “unlawful detainer” court papers, don’t wait!

 Law Foundation of Silicon Valley: 408-280-2424, Bay Area Legal Aid: 408-850-7066, Asian Law Alliance: 408-287-9710, Project Sentinel: 650-282-2514 

Rent Rollback: Many households will qualify for a rent reduction when Measure V takes effect on Dec. 23. You must live in an apartment building built before Feb. 1, 1995 with three units or more. If you moved into your apartment before Oct. 19, 2015, when you pay your January 2017 rent, you can legally pay the amount in effect in Oct. 2015. If you moved into your apartment after Oct. 19, 2015, you can pay the amount you were charged for rent when you first moved in. 

New! Click here to download and print a letter you can send to your landlord along with your January 2017 rent explaining the rent rollback. 

FAQs 

What if my landlord insists on unlawful rent? If your landlord gives you a “three day notice to pay or quit” in response to your reduced January rent payment, you have options:

• Pay the higher, unlawful amount right away (within the 3 days). Keep payment records so you can petition the rental housing committee for a refund and rent reduction.
• Do nothing. Your landlord may serve you with eviction (“unlawful detainer”) court papers. If you receive those papers, you can defend yourself, but you have only five days to submit papers to the court. Call one of the phone numbers above for legal help right away.

Does the rent rollback still apply if I signed a new lease for higher rent since October 2015? We think you have a strong argument that it does. If your landlord disagrees, seek legal help.

Will I get a refund for rent I paid between October 2015 and January 2017 ? No. Measure V was not intended to provide a refund on rent paid before it took effect.

How do I figure out when my apartment was built? Type your apartment building’s street address into the search bar on one of the following sites: zillow.com, redfin.com, trulia.com. The year of construction should come up. A list of qualifying apartments is in the works.

More questions? Contact City Hall: (650) 903-6379 or neighborhoods@mountainview.gov. Or watch mountainview.gov and mvtenantscoalition.org for updates and more info.

Disclaimer: MVTC intends to provide accurate information about what Measure V means for tenants in Mountain View. However, because Measure V is brand new, and all laws can be subject to different interpretations, MVTC cannot be responsible for any use to which the information on this website is put. Do not rely on this information without consulting an attorney or the appropriate agency about your rights in your particular situation.

Help us get the word out! Click here to print this as a flyer.