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DEFINITIONS

SJ-MC tit. 17, ch. 17.23, pt. 2
in effect

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.100 General.

17.23.100 - General. Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions set forth in this Part govern the construction of the Apartment Rent Ordinance. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.105 Administrative decision.

17.23.105 - Administrative decision. "Administrative Decision" means a Petition Examiner's final written determination on a Landlord or Tenant Petition. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.110 Affordable rental unit.

17.23.110 - Affordable rental unit. "Affordable Rental Unit" means each Rental Unit that is owned or operated by any government agency, or any individual Rental Unit for which the Rent is limited to no more than affordable rent, as such term is defined in California Health & Safety Code Section 50053, for lower income households pursuant to legally binding restrictions recorded for the benefit of a government agency. However, if the ownership or operation, or the Rent limitation ceases, then the Rental Unit will no longer be considered an Affordable Rental Unit. The presence of one (1) or more Affordable Rental Units in a Multiple Dwelling shall not exempt any other Rental Unit in the same building that does not also meet the definition of Affordable Rental Unit. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.112 Annual general increase.

17.23.112 - Annual general increase. "Annual General Increase" shall have the meaning provided in Section 17.23.310. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.116 Buyout agreement.

17.23.116 - Buyout agreement. "Buyout Agreement" shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.01.3 of the Regulations. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.120 Capital improvements.

17.23.120 - Capital improvements. "Capital Improvements" means building, unit or property additions or modifications that replace or enhance an existing physical feature of a Rent Stabilized Unit or of a building containing a Rent Stabilized Unit or that provides new Housing Services to the Tenants as compared to the level of services as previously provided. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.122 Consumer price index.

17.23.122 - Consumer price index. "Consumer Price Index" means the Consumer Price Index For All Urban Consumers in the San Francisco-Oakland-San José all items index (1982-84 equals 100), as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor. In the event a successor index to the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for all items for the San Francisco-Oakland-San José area or comparable area is established by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this definition may be updated accordingly in the Regulations. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.123 Covered property.

17.23.123 - Covered property. "Covered Property" means an individual building or complex of buildings containing one (1) or more Rent Stabilized Units, together with any common areas. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.127 For-cause termination.

17.23.127 - For-cause termination. "For-Cause Termination" is the termination of a tenancy based on a reason for eviction that would legally entitle a Landlord to evict a Tenant Household on three (3) days' notice under California Code of Civil Procedure Sections 1161(2) (for Tenant's nonpayment of Rent), 1161(3) (for Tenant's failure to perform a material term of rental agreement), or 1161(4) (for Tenant allowing a nuisance or other unlawful activity). (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.135 Hearing officer.

17.23.135 - Hearing officer. "Hearing Officer" shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.01.11 of the Regulations. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.136 Housing services.

17.23.136 - Housing services. "Housing Services" means those services provided and associated with the use or occupancy of a Rental Unit, including but not limited to repairs, replacement, maintenance, painting, light, heat, water, elevator service, pest control, laundry facilities and privileges, janitorial service, refuse removal, furnishings, telephone, parking, storage, and any other benefits, privileges, or facilities. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.137 Initial rental rate.

17.23.137 - Initial rental rate. "Initial Rental Rate" means the actual amount paid by the Tenant for the use and occupancy of the Rent Stabilized Unit at the commencement of the tenancy, or in the case of a Rental Voucher Unit, the sum of the rent paid by the Tenant and government agency. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.140 Landlord.

17.23.140 - Landlord. "Landlord" means an owner, lessor, or sublessor who receives or is entitled to receive Rent for the use and occupancy of any Rental Unit or portion thereof, and the agent, representative, or successor of any of the foregoing. For purposes of this Chapter, Landlord does not include an individual who is a member of the Tenant Household whose primary residence is the same Rental Unit as the Tenant. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.145 Multiple dwelling.

17.23.145 - Multiple dwelling. "Multiple Dwelling" means a multiple dwelling as that term is defined and used in Title 20 of this Code and includes all units subject to Part 8 of Chapter 17.20. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.150 Net operating income.

17.23.150 - Net operating income. "Net Operating Income" shall have the meaning provided in Section 17.23.810.A. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.151 Notices.

17.23.151 - Notices. The following notices are defined terms for purposes of this Chapter with the following meanings. A. "Informational Notice" shall have the meaning provided in Section 17.23.050.B. B. Notice of the Apartment Rent Ordinance" shall have the meaning provided in Section 17.23.050A. C. "Notice of Re-Rental" shall have the meaning provided in Section 17.23.600. D. "Notice of Termination" means the notice informing a Tenant of the termination of its tenancy including but not limited to a notice to quit or vacate, a notice in accordance with California Civil Code Section 1946.1 or California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1162, as amended. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.161 Petition examiner.

17.23.161 - Petition examiner. "Petition Examiner" shall have the meaning provided in Section 6.06.05 of the Regulations. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.165 Regulations.

17.23.165 - Regulations. "Regulations" means the regulations adopted by the City Council or pursuant to Section 17.23.040. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.166 Rent.

17.23.166 - Rent. "Rent" means the consideration, including any funds, labor, bonus, benefit, or gratuity, demanded or received by a Landlord for or in connection with the use or occupancy of a Rental Unit, including Housing Services, or for the assignment of a lease or rental agreement for a Rental Unit, including subletting. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.167 Rent stabilized unit.

17.23.167 - Rent stabilized unit. A. "Rent Stabilized Unit" means a Rental Unit in any Guesthouse or in any Multiple Dwelling building for which a certificate of occupancy was issued on or prior to September 7, 1979 or that was offered or available for rent on or before this date. B. The following shall not be considered Rent Stabilized Units: 1. Rooms or accommodations in hotels, motels, or Guesthouses which are legally rented to transient guests for a period of less than thirty (30) days consistent with the Municipal Code, except those rooms or accommodations subject to Part 2.5 of Chapter 20.80; 2. Housing accommodations in any hospital, convent, monastery, extended care facility, emergency residential shelter, residential care facility, residential service facility, nonprofit home for Senior Citizens (as defined in the Unruh Act, as may be amended), fraternity house or sorority house, or in dormitories owned and operated by an institution of higher education, a high school or elementary school; 3. Affordable Rental Units; and 4. Rental Units in a building containing only one (1) or two (2) dwelling units. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.168 Rental unit.

17.23.168 - Rental unit. "Rental Unit" means a structure or part of a structure (including but not limited to a Guest Room in a Guesthouse) offered or available for rent as a home, residence, or sleeping place, whether or not the residential use is a conforming use permitted under the San José Municipal Code, together with the land and appurtenant buildings thereto, and all Housing Services, privileges, and facilities supplied in connection with the use or occupancy thereof. A Rental Unit shall not include a Mobilehome or Mobilehome Lot as defined in Section 17.22.160 and 17.22.170. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.169 Rental voucher unit.

17.23.169 - Rental voucher unit. "Rental Voucher Unit" means a Rental Unit that is restricted to occupancy by lower income households by a contract where the Tenant pays no more than 35% of their income towards the Rent, the remainder being paid with a government agency or a nonprofit administering government agency's funds, and where the rent is not increased on an annual basis, but only where allowed under the rules of the government agency. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.171 Security deposit.

17.23.171 - Security deposit. "Security Deposit" shall have the meaning provided in California Civil Code Section 1950.5, as amended. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.172 Specified capital improvements.

17.23.172 - Specified capital improvements. "Specified Capital Improvements" shall have the meaning provided in Section 17.23.330. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.175 Tenant.

17.23.175 - Tenant. "Tenant" means a person or persons entitled by written or oral agreement, or by sufferance, to the use or occupancy of a Rental Unit. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.176 Tenant household.

17.23.176 - Tenant household. "Tenant Household" means all Tenant(s) who occupy any individual Rental Unit, and each minor child of any Tenant whose primary residence is the Rental Unit. (Ord. 30032.)

San José Municipal Code § 17.23.177 Tenant protection ordinance.

17.23.177 - Tenant protection ordinance. "Tenant Protection Ordinance" means the ordinance codified in Part 12 of Chapter 17.23. (Ord. 30032.)
Source: City of San José, Municipal Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ca/san_jose/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17BUCO_CH17.23REDIMEARDWUNEXMOMOPA_PT2DEFetched: 11/1/2026

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