L:\Zoning Regulations & Guidelines\Condominium Conversion Regulations
03/10/05
A Guide to
Condominium
Conversions
in the City of Oakland
-2-
A GUIDE TO CONDOMINIUM CONVERSIONS IN THE
CITY OF OAKLAND
What constitutes a “conversion”?
• a change in the type of ownership from residential rental realty to a stock cooperative, a
condominium, or community apartment project
• applies only to buildings for which a certificate of occupancy has been issued for a multifamily
building (new construction that is not yet occupied is exempt from these requirements)
The condominium conversion regulations consist of five main components:
1. Tenant notification and assistance (tenant rights)
2. Replacement rental units, called “conversion rights”
3. Tentative and Final Map preparation and City review
4. Noise insulation and building code upgrades
5. Property inspection and report
1. TENANT RIGHTS
Tenant notification (16.36.020 – 040)
• 60 days prior to filing a tentative parcel map, a subdivider must provide all existing and
prospective tenants with:
- notice of intent to convert,
- description of the conversion process,
- notice of tenant rights,
- copy of the subdivider’s “preliminary tenant assistance program”
• If the subdivider fails to give notice to a prospective tenant who then becomes a tenant and was
entitled to such notice, he or she shall pay to the tenant:
- actual moving expenses incurred while moving from the subject property, not to exceed $500
-
first month’s rent on tenant’s new unit, but not to exceed $500
• The City must provide tenants with notice of any public hearings held on the tentative map, as
well as copies of reports and recommendations concerning tentative parcel map approval,
decisions, etc. In order to do this, the subdivider must provide to the City the names and addresses
of all tenants.
• Tenant notification requirements may be waived by Director of City Planning if the building
proposed for conversion is not tenant-occupi