Overview
- The City Council’s Housing, Arts & Civil Rights Committee unanimously approved the proposal after months of stakeholder meetings and it advanced for a full council decision, with local coverage reporting the council later approved the ordinance.
- The law would outlaw common extra charges such as pet rent, administrative processing fees, package or technology fees, and other surprise add‑ons while preserving about a dozen narrowly defined allowable fee categories.
- Landlords would have to disclose all mandatory and optional fees in rental listings so advertised rent reflects total cost, and the ban is slated to apply to new leases beginning July 1, 2027.
- Enforcement is assigned to the City Attorney’s office under the proposal, which includes penalties in the bill (draft reporting cited $750 for a first offense and $1,500 for repeats) and would fund three new city staff through a $5.50–$7.00 annual per‑unit charge.
- Renter advocates say the reform will cut unpredictable housing costs that surveys show affect a large share of renters, while small‑owner groups warn the rules could add regulatory burden and push mom‑and‑pop landlords to sell; similar fee limits exist in several other states.