COUNSELING
Call us to learn more about your rights and responsibilities as a tenant or a landlord when it comes to navigating complicated housing issues. Our counselors can inform you about your options and help you take the steps needed to resolve your issue.
Access the Tenant Landlord Library
Access the Tenant Landlord Rights FAQ
California rent increase caps & eviction protections
MEDIATION
Our staff and mediators can assist you and any other party in resolving your dispute. We remain neutral and keep all conversations confidential. In mediation, all parties meet either in person or via phone or video conferencing. A trained neutral mediator can help draft agreements that can be enforceable in Court.
ARBITRATION
Project Sentinel maintains a panel of professional arbitrators. Just like judges, arbitrators hear housing cases and issue legally binding decisions that explain the parties' respective responsibilities based on all applicable laws. We currently provide arbitration for the cities of Mountain View, Hayward, and Los Gatos.
TRAINING
We offer tailored mediation and facilitation courses on a regular basis. Our basic mediation class exceeds the mediation certification requirements.
Our facilitation classes help participants become successful facilitators, for their own meetings and for community meetings and other public events.
New California rent increase caps and eviction protections (AB1482)
Información en español | Press Release
These new statewide rental housing laws have been effective since 1/1/2020. Here's what changed:
Rent increase caps
-
In a 12-month period, total rent increases cannot exceed 5% plus the change in cost of living (CPI), or 10%, whichever is lower. The current rent increase cap for Santa Clara County, Stanislaus and most other Bay Area counties is 6%, and 6.1% for San Mateo, SF, Alameda, Marin and Contra Costa Counties.
-
Maximum of 2 rent increases in any 12 month period (the total of which cannot exceed the rent cap).
-
Applies to most units except for units built less than 15 years ago, single family homes or condos with no corporate ownership, duplexes where owner resides in other unit, low income/BMR units, etc. (see flyer for full exemtions list)
Eviction protections
-
"Just cause for eviction” means Landlords must specify a valid reason to evict or terminate a tenancy.
-
Just cause protections apply only after 12 months of tenancy or 24 months if new tenant added.
-
Allowed "at fault" causes: failure to pay rent, nuisance, damage to property, etc. (see flyer for full list)
-
Allowed "no fault" causes: owner move-in, withdrawal of unit from rental market, government orders to vacate, intent to demolish or substantially remodel with permits
-
If "no fault" of tenant, landlord must pay relocation i.e. one month's rent within 15 days of the termination notice
-
Applies to most units except for units built less than 15 years ago, single family homes or condos with no corporate ownership (notice of exemption required!), duplexes where owner resides in other unit, low income/BMR units, some owner occupied properties, etc. (see flyer for full exemptions list)
Other laws
-
Where permitted, rent increases over 10% require 90 days' written notice
-
Tenant may house a person at risk of homelessness as a "Lodger". Landlord approval required.
-
New anti-discrimination laws
Mediation Training 2020
Due to COVID-19, the 2020 mediation training will take place in the fall 2020 instead. New dates will be advertised soon. If you are interested in the training, please contact Martin Eichner (email below).
Palo Alto and Mountain View
Mediators - recruitment open during COVID-19
Let us know if you would like to join a mediation panel. Recruitment has been extended until after COVID-19. If you are interested in joining the Palo Alto panel, please apply here. To join the Mountain View panel, please apply here.
More about the Palo Alto mediation program in Spanish, mandarin, and cantonese.
Contact Us
1490 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95050
We have Satellite Offices in Fremont (39155 Liberty St Suite D440), San Mateo County (1615 Hudson St, Ste. A, Redwood City), Stanislaus County (1231 8th St, Ste. 425, Modesto), South County (8339 Church St #104, Gilroy) and Sacramento (1010 Hurley Way, Ste. 500). You are welcome to come to our offices. However, please call the person you would like to meet first to make sure that they will be there.