7.50.060 Relocation payments by property owners.

(a) The property owner shall be responsible for providing relocation payments, in the amounts specified in section 7.50.090, to an eligible tenant household in the form and manner prescribed in this chapter. The property owner shall furnish proof of any relocation payments made to tenant households to the Director.

(b) Except as set forth in section 7.50.060(e), in the case of permanent displacement, the property owner shall make the relocation payment directly to an eligible tenant household no later than ten (10) days before the expected vacation date of the dwelling or room specified in either a City or court notice or order or the property owner's notice to vacate pursuant to sections 7.50.040 and 7.50.050, whichever date is earliest in the event of multiple notices. If less than ten (10) days' advance notice of vacation is given, or no vacation date is specified in such notice or order, then the payment by the property owner to the tenant household shall be made no later than the actual time of vacation.

(c) If an eligible tenant household vacates a dwelling or room on its own initiative pursuant to section 7.50.030(a)(2) in response to a notice to abate life-threatening condition or declaration of substandard condition issued by the City (rather than in response to a notice to vacate by the City, a court or a property owner), and if that tenant household has not given advance notice to the property owner of its intention to vacate, then the payment by the property owner to the tenant household shall be made no later than ten (10) days after written demand for such payment is made by the tenant household to the property owner; provided, however, that in such case, such a demand must be made in writing by the tenant household within thirty (30) days following the actual vacation of the dwelling or room.

(d) In the case of temporary displacement, the property owner shall make the payment directly to an eligible tenant household within five (5) days after the tenant household has submitted reasonably probative documentation (such as bills, invoices, rental agreements, estimates, etc.) to the property owner of the actual moving and temporary housing expenses the tenant household will incur or has incurred as a result of the temporary displacement during the expected displacement period.

(e) If the property owner and the tenant household agree in writing that a displacement initially treated as a temporary displacement is to be a permanent displacement, the property owner shall provide the tenant household relocation payments for temporary displacement required under section 7.50.090(b) within the period required under section 7.50.060(d), as well as relocation payments for permanent displacement required under section 7.50.090(a) within ten (10) days after the displacement is determined, in writing, to be a permanent displacement.

(f) The obligation of the property owner to deliver relocation payments to a tenant household shall be suspended pending the outcome of an appeal pursuant to section 7.50.100 of this chapter, if the property owner has made a timely request for appeal.

(g) Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter, a tenant household shall not be required to vacate the dwelling or room until the required relocation payment has been made and any appeal requested by the property owner has been concluded, unless (1) the Enforcement Officer has determined for health and safety reasons that vacation must occur sooner; or (2) the property owner has complied with the provisions of California Government Code section 7060, et seq., to withdraw such dwelling or room from rental or lease. However, a property owner remains liable for payment of relocation payments to eligible tenant households under this chapter notwithstanding the applicability of the exceptions above in clauses (1) and (2).