[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6473627,"mediaKeyId","5744750-5af02829e397f537c105901908d7e476","parentId",5744750,"title","Costa Mesa council directs staff to study rental registry, update tenant-notice rules; ratifies $100,000 in community donations","audioSeconds",3074,"startMs",490000,"endMs",3564000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5744750-5af02829e397f537c105901908d7e476&start=490&end=3564","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5744750-5af02829e397f537c105901908d7e476/thumbnail_490000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6473627/Costa-Mesa/Orange-County/California/Costa-Mesa-council-directs-staff-to-study-rental-registry-update-tenant-notice-rules-ratifies-100000-in-community-donations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6473627-acdff061268661b53cc2605d2593d746/orig.mp4?Expires=1770614486&Signature=kI8W7mv9rGPLq2nBziLVLwHDhb2dlsqkaDz-S8koyJcbDlrFh9SfQiHJjkuQLrk3zBCCDD79zLx8RRVacbndoWVbvdXWrVJ0RUkh481WnLK6c4UVWg21GLqKbyUjiHF7-ALpnge0vMWCtxzI5OUyGJf-8PAwgxSvrsrzF9dLSTNHJWwmGc-3J7-5W1Jx14mcTilp7WI8-a8zyNNWNeOjWw-gTkQSIasZ~Plo9wudNA14gDrS29ajyjph5~D-VeROeiDIEswPSAlems9McgS8kuc8RFzZtjf3UBFjYqD7o9KPPA-k-VlPB3QNEi-r5lBJWbrCYDfQ-2u-FEW2xBzrVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Costa Mesa","date","2025-09-10T00:33:09Z","article","The Costa Mesa City Council on Sept. 9 directed staff to return with an update to the city's Tenant Protection Ordinance to require notice of any eviction, to draft a proposal for a Costa Mesa rental registry modeled after Santa Ana's registry (but without a rent-cap), and to form a \"network for renter solutions\" to coordinate outreach to renters and landlords.

The council also ratified staff action to disburse $50,000 each to two local nonprofits, Enough For All and Someone Cares Soup Kitchen, money staff said has already been dispersed.

City staff opened the discussion by summarizing work requested at an Aug. 5 council meeting. \"The $50,000 contribution to Enough For All Fund will help provide assistance with rent, groceries, and other essential necessities,\" Management Analyst Sergio Escobar told the council, adding that both organizations \"confirmed the acceptance of the donation\" and that the funding had been dispersed.

Deputy City Manager Reyes and Government Affairs Manager Jay Barkman presented preliminary research on rental registries and tracking at-fault evictions. Barkman said staff found eight California cities with rental registries, mostly charter cities with larger populations, and that registries are typically used to track base rent, annual increases and related fees. \"Fees for landlords to register range from as low as $29 to almost $400 per unit,\" Barkman said. He told the council that start-up costs can be close to $300,000 in the first year and that annual software costs may run about $85,000; registries also require dedicated staffing.

Staff emphasized that courts do not provide searchable, aggregate data on at-fault evictions. \"The courts do not report or track at fault evictions in a manner the cities can access,\" Barkman said. The presentation noted that the county superior court will generally not release aggregate unlawful-detainer data without a subpoena or court order, which is a key reason some cities build their own registries.

Why it matters

Council members and public commenters said the item matters because renters are a large share of Costa Mesa's population and because recent immigration enforcement activity has increased housing instability. Speakers representing tenant organizations and neighborhood groups urged the council to move forward with a registry or stronger tenant-notice requirements so the city can intervene earlier in unlawful or at‑risk evictions. Several commenters connected recent immigration enforcement activity to rising fear in renter communities, which they said can depress reporting of unlawful eviction practices and reduce access to services.

What the council approved

- Update the Tenant Protection Ordinance to require notice to the city for any eviction (staff to return with specific draft language and options).

- Develop a proposal for a Costa Mesa Rental Registry modeled after Santa Ana's registry but without a rent cap or rent‑control provisions.

- Establish a \"network for renter solutions\" modeled on the city's existing network for homeless solutions, to improve outreach and coordinate landlord/tenant services.

Council action and votes

Council Member Reynolds moved the three-part motion; it was seconded and passed by voice vote. The motion passed 4-2 (tally recorded in the minutes as 4 yes, 2 no). The minutes do not record individual roll-call votes for that motion in the transcripted portion.

Separately, staff told the council it had already issued the two $50,000 checks as directed on Aug. 5. Council later voted to ratify that prior action (a formal ratification of the Aug. 5 direction to distribute the funds). That ratification passed by recorded vote, 5-2; the minutes note Council Members Pettis and Villalivanino voted no on the ratification.

Key details staff and speakers highlighted

- Staff found registry programs in eight California cities; they vary widely in scope and cost and are staff‑intensive to launch and maintain. Barkman said registries are often used in jurisdictions that administer rent control or rent-stabilization programs but can also be used solely for data collection and transparency.

- Typical registry costs mentioned in the staff report: registration fees for landlords ranging roughly $29–$400 per unit (based on other cities); estimated start‑up costs near $300,000 and recurring software costs around $85,000 annually.

- Tenant Protection Ordinance (TPO): current city practice requires landlords to notify the city within 72 hours of serving certain no‑fault notices; staff said expanding notice requirements to at‑fault evictions raises timing and logistics issues (a three‑day \"pay or quit\" notice commonly used in nonpayment cases can expire before the city would receive notice unless the ordinance's timing is revised).

- Data limits: staff and members said the Orange County Superior Court told the city it will not release aggregate unlawful‑detainer filing data except by subpoena or court order, which is why some cities build registries to collect local data directly.

Public comment and community perspective

Public commenters included tenant-rights organizers, community nonprofit representatives and residents. Speakers urged the council to prioritize tracking evictions and improving tenant outreach and to consider the registry primarily as a data and intervention tool rather than as immediate rent‑control. Christian Lopez of Resilience OC said a registry \"would help prevent unlawful evictions\" by giving the city the ability to track all evictions. Other speakers urged stronger tenant notice requirements, more rental-assistance funding and clearer landlord education.

What happens next

Staff will return with specific ordinance language, cost estimates and a draft structure for a rental registry and the proposed network for renter solutions. The council's action is a direction to draft proposals and options; no new ordinance or fee was enacted tonight.

Ending

Council members said they expect follow‑up reports with proposed ordinance text, budget estimates and an implementation timeline before any registration fees or enforcement elements would be adopted.

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Council approved an amended motion to start the fund at $200,000, with the Immigrant Defenders Law Center identified as the primary provider and the Public Law Center identified as a secondary partner if additional capacity is required. The council also agreed to participate in an amicus brief in Perdomo v. Nome, the federal case challenging \"roving\" immigration enforcement patrols.

City Attorney Hall Barlow presented options and legal limits the city must consider. \"We looked at what the legal restrictions are. Obviously, federal funds or grants that are for specific purposes or restricted funds cannot be used for this purpose,\" Barlow told the council. She said the most cost‑effective approach is to partner with existing providers rather than build a new city program, and that several nonprofit legal organizations had indicated willingness to contract with the city.

Barlow summarized the litigation context. The district court in Perdomo issued a temporary restraining order finding that detaining people solely on the basis of race, ethnicity, language or place of work was insufficient to establish reasonable suspicion. The Ninth Circuit upheld the TRO on Aug. 1, but the U.S. Supreme Court granted an emergency stay the day before the meeting; a preliminary‑injunction hearing is scheduled for Sept. 24. \"It's hard to say how the Supreme Court's stay of the TRO may affect the preliminary injunction hearing,\" Barlow said.

Why it matters

Council members and many public speakers said the city faces an urgent need because of recent enforcement incidents, including an August incident where day‑laborers at a Newport Boulevard site were detained. Commenters and council members said people detained for immigration reasons do not have the right to a government‑appointed attorney in immigration court and that detainees who cannot afford counsel face worse outcomes and extended detention.

What the council approved

- Establish a Costa Mesa Immigration Legal Defense Fund with an initial allocation of $200,000 (motion originally proposed at $150,000 and amended during deliberations).

- Enter into one or more agreements with nonprofit legal providers; Immigrant Defenders Law Center designated as the primary provider; Public Law Center to provide additional capacity and services where necessary.

- Direct staff to accept public donations into the fund and to provide periodic non‑confidential reporting to council when the fund balance reaches $50,000 or to report on usage and additional funding needs.

- Authorize the city to join an amicus brief in Perdomo v. Nome in support of the TRO/preliminary injunction; the city was not asked to provide financial contributions for the amicus filing itself.

Public comment and community input

Dozens of residents, nonprofit leaders and lawyers addressed the council in favor of the fund and of joining the Perdomo briefing. Speakers included representatives from Resilience Orange County, the Orange County Rapid Response Network and the Immigrant Defenders Law Center. Melissa Shepherd of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center described the organization's experience responding to recent detentions and urged the council to invest in local representation.

Council discussion and next steps

Council members who supported the motion described the action as a public‑safety and access‑to‑justice measure. Supporters emphasized that immigration proceedings are civil—detainees do not receive appointed counsel—and that a city‑funded program can reduce trauma, keep families together and speed reunification in some cases.

City staff noted legal constraints on use of restricted federal funds but said the city's general fund may be used for the program. Barlow advised the council that contracting with existing nonprofit providers would be faster and more efficient than building an in‑house program. Staff were directed to finalize agreements and to begin implementation through the named providers.

Votes and implementation

The motion (as amended to $200,000 and to include contract direction and amicus participation) passed by council vote 5-2 as recorded in the meeting minutes. The minute entry records the final tallies but does not list every individual roll‑call vote in the transcript; the council directed staff to execute contracts with the specified nonprofit providers and to report back on fund use and needs.

Ending

Council members directed staff to begin contracting and to return with updates; the council also authorized the city attorney to sign the amicus participation request for Perdomo. The fund is open to supplemental public donations, and staff will report back with non‑confidential summaries of fund use when balances reach $50,000.

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Costa Mesa council directs staff to study rental registry, update tenant-notice rules; ratifies $100,000 in community donations

Costa Mesa approves $200,000 immigration legal-defense fund, signs on to Perdomo amicus brief