(a) Initial Registration of Residential Rental Units. The landlord of each residential rental unit within the city of Palo Alto shall register the unit within the annual open registration period established by the City Manager or their designee. Registration must be completed using forms provided by the city, which may take the form of a secure website, and which may be amended from time to time. Registration is complete only when all rental registry information has been provided to the city and all outstanding fees and penalties, if applicable, have been paid.
(b) Renewal Registration. The landlord of each residential rental unit within the city of Palo Alto shall renew the registration of each unit annually within the annual open registration period established by the City Manager or their designee.
(c) Rental Registry Information Submission.
(1) At minimum, the following information shall be provided as part of the initial and renewal registration of a residential rental unit:
i. The address of each residential rental unit,
ii. The name and contact information of the property owner and property manager or landlord, as applicable.
(2) In addition to requiring the minimum information described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the City Manager or their designee shall have the authority to require or request additional information at initial or renewal registration which may help to achieve the intended purpose of this chapter.
(3) The City Manager or their designee shall have the authority to require rental registry information to be submitted in a particular manner or on a particular platform, such as on a secure website or through paper-based forms, which may be amended from time to time.
(d) Event-based Registration Amendments.
(1) At minimum, landlords shall amend the registration of their residential rental unit within ten (10) calendar days whenever one of the following events occurs in relation to that residential rental unit:
i. Any increase in rent,
ii. A notice to quit is sent to a renter,
iii. An unlawful detainer complaint is filed, or
iv. An eviction.
(2) The City Manager or their designee shall have authority to designate additional events which will require landlords to amend the registration of their residential rental units and which may help to achieve the intended purpose of this chapter.
(e) Affidavit. Each initial and renewal registration and event-based registration amendment shall be accompanied by an affidavit signed by the landlord declaring under penalty of perjury that the information provided is true and correct.
(f) Fees.
(1) For the sole purpose of reimbursing the city of Palo Alto for the reasonable costs of maintaining residential rental unit registration records and related administrative systems, and program administration, the landlord of each residential rental unit to which this chapter applies shall pay a fee upon initial and renewal registration in an amount to be set by the Palo Alto city council.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, the city council may, in its discretion, waive or reduce the fees for initial or renewal registration to help achieve the intended purpose of this chapter.
(3) A landlord may not seek recovery of this fee from the renter(s) in occupancy of their residential rental unit(s).
(Ord. 5605 § 2 (part), 2024)