City Council Adopts Urgency Ordinance 

Lemon Grove, CA — At the February 3, 2026 City Council meeting, the Lemon Grove City Council adopted findings to protect the peace, health, and safety of the public through the adoption of an urgency ordinance requiring just cause for the termination of residential tenancies within the City of Lemon Grove.

The motion, made by Mayor Snow and seconded by Councilmember Mendoza, was approved by a four-fifths vote of the City Council. The ordinance takes effect immediately and adopts State law under California Civil Code section 1946.2, with additional provisions that expand tenant protections at the local level.

Under the urgency ordinance, tenants subject to no-fault just-cause terminations are entitled to enhanced notice and relocation assistance. Specifically, affected tenants must receive at least 120 days’ written notice prior to the effective date of termination.

The ordinance also requires enhanced relocation payments for no-fault just cause evictions. All tenants subject to such terminations are entitled to a direct payment equal to:

• One month of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Small Area Fair Market Rent for the zip code in which the rental unit is located at the time the termination notice is issued, and
• One month of the tenant’s actual contract rent in effect under the lease.

Additional protections apply to vulnerable populations. If a tenant’s household income is below 80 percent of the Area Median Income for San Diego County, or if the tenant is 60 years of age or older, disabled, or has minor children in the household, the required direct payment increases to:

• Two months of HUD Small Area Fair Market Rent for the applicable zip code, and
• One month of the tenant’s actual contract rent in effect under the lease.

The urgency ordinance will remain in effect for 180 days from its effective date of February 3, 2026, unless extended by a four-fifths vote of the City Council or replaced by a regular ordinance, whichever occurs first.

Over the coming months, the City of Lemon Grove will conduct community outreach to gather input from residents, stakeholders, and industry representatives as it evaluates longer-term policy options.

Tenants experiencing the termination of their tenancies without just cause are encouraged to seek assistance from the Legal Aid Society of San Diego at (877) 534-2524 or visit their website at https://www.lassd.org.

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