(Legislative History: Ordinance No. 2017-016, 9/18/17)
A landlord's failure to comply with any requirement of this Chapter may be asserted as an affirmative defense in an action brought by the landlord to recover possession of the residential property. Additionally, any attempt to recover possession of a residential property in violation of this Chapter shall render the landlord liable to the tenant for actual and punitive damages, including damages for emotional distress, in a civil action for wrongful eviction. The tenant may also seek injunctive relief and money damages for wrongful eviction and/or failure to pay relocation assistance. A landlord may seek money damages for a tenant's failure to reimburse relocation assistance if the tenant ultimately fails to vacate the residential property following a landlordcaused termination where a landlord provides a proposed rent increase that raises the rent, or proposed multiple rent increases that cumulatively raise the rent, to an amount more than 12% greater than the base rent at any time during a 12 month period. The prevailing party in an action for wrongful eviction and/or failure to pay relocation assistance or reimburse relocation assistance shall recover costs and reasonable attorneys' fees.