The city council of the city of Hughson finds and determines that:
A. 
Some residential rental units in the city may have severe code violations which threaten the life, health, and safety of tenants and require the units or rooms to be vacated to allow for extensive repairs. Such code violations are often caused by deferred maintenance, which may constitute a breach of the landlord's implied warranty of habitability. Tenants of substandard residential units or structures suffer financial hardship when required to vacate their housing, because the owner fails to correct the substandard conditions.
B. 
It is appropriate to require the property owner to partially mitigate the tenant's hardship, since the hardship arises from the owner's failure to comply with the law and fulfill a landlord's obligations to the tenants. Financial hardship arises, because the tenant generally needs a large sum of money to relocate, often including temporary housing, first and last month's rent, deposits, moving expenses, storage expenses, and utility deposits for a new residence. Low-income tenants are generally unable to obtain such sums and, as a result, are at great risk of becoming homeless.
(Formerly 1.17.870; Ord. 06-11 § 1, 2006; Ord. 08-08 § 1, 2008)
Any tenant who is displaced from any residential unit as a result of a notice and order to vacate due to unsafe or hazardous living conditions, issued by an authorized city official, shall be entitled to receive relocation benefits from the property as specified in this article.
(Formerly 1.17.880; Ord. 06-11 § 1, 2006; Ord. 08-08 § 1, 2008)
The relocation benefits shall be an amount equal to twice the established monthly rental rate paid by the tenant for the unit being vacated or the monthly amount paid by the tenant for the new unit where the tenant moves, whichever is less. The relocation benefits shall include an administrative fee per unit set by resolution of the city council. If the tenant is currently receiving general relief assistance from the county, the city may reimburse the county for its administrative expenses as determined by the county. This amount shall be added to the amount owed by the property owner.
(Formerly 1.17.890; Ord. 06-11 § 1, 2006; Ord. 08-08 § 1, 2008)
If the notice and order to vacate requires the tenant to move out in 72 hours or less time, the tenant shall be entitled to the reasonable and actual cost for temporary housing (up to two weeks), moving expenses and the cost to store personal property (up to two weeks), while the tenant finds another place to live, in addition to the relocation benefits specified elsewhere in this article.
(Formerly 1.17.900; Ord. 06-11 § 1, 2006; Ord. 08-08 § 1, 2008)
Any displaced tenant who needs relocation benefits may apply to the city planning and building department, or other department as designated from time to time by the city manager for benefits not later than 60 days after the date to vacate specified in the notice. In order for the tenant to be eligible for relocation benefits from the city, the tenant must have rented a new habitable unit within 60 days after the date to vacate. The city may recover from the property owner the amount the city pays in relocation benefits, emergency relocation benefits, and any amounts paid to the county plus the city's administrative fee.
(Formerly 1.17.910; Ord. 06-11 § 1, 2006; Ord. 08-08 § 1, 2008)