Summary

Housing protections introduced

San PabloFeb 18, 20262 min read

At a glance

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City Council voted 3-1, with 1 abstention, to introduce an ordinance adding just-cause eviction, housing stability, and anti-harassment protections to the municipal code.

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City Council

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Budget & TaxPublic SafetyEnvironmentalHousing

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What this means

The Council moved forward with a new housing ordinance that would add eviction protections and rules against harassment for tenants in San Pablo. The measure was introduced after public comment and will continue through the city’s adoption process before it becomes final. The Council also approved several routine items, including budget calendar updates, grant actions, a $2,000 sponsorship for Helms Middle School, and a lot line adjustment involving two city-owned Gateway Avenue parcels.

Key decisions

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Introduced an ordinance adding just-cause eviction protections and housing stability/anti-harassment provisions to the municipal code.
Approved minutes from the January 20 and January 26, 2026 meetings.
Approved the revised budget calendar for the FY 2026-27 and FY 2027-28 biennial budget.
Denied a liability claim from Abasi Buford.
Approved a $2,000 event sponsorship for Helms Middle School for a Washington, D.C. trip.
Accepted up to $782,661 over three fiscal years for the tobacco grant program.
Set the FY 2026-27 stormwater utility assessment rate and requested parcel assessments for drainage maintenance and the NPDES program.
Authorized submission of an EPA San Francisco Bay Restoration Grant application for about $1.4 million for green stormwater monitoring and maintenance.
Approved a lot line adjustment between 1050 Gateway Avenue and 1000 Gateway Avenue to shift 2,347 square feet for driveway alignment and access.

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Meeting information

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City Council

Feb 18, 2026, 2:00 AMCity Council Chambers Members of the public may view this meeting online by using this URL https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89046076519completed

Agenda

Revised February 14, 2026: Item 6, File ID 26-056 Attachments A and B Updated. Item 16, File ID 26-047 Attachment B Updated.
*IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENTS AND MEETING PARTICIPATION*
NOTICE:
PUBLIC COMMENT
AGENDA MATERIALS
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT:
CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
CEREMONIAL MATTERS
PROCLAMATIONS
CONSIDER APPROVING AND PRESENTING PROCLAMATION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS SUPERINTENDENT DANIEL GOMEZ ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
CONSENT CALENDAR
MINUTES
CONSIDER APPROVING MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JANUARY 20, 2026 CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
CONSIDER APPROVING MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JANUARY 26, 2026 CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
PERIODIC REPORTS
CONSIDER APPROVING VENDOR CHECK REGISTER REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2026 CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
TREASURER’S REPORT FOR THE QUARTER ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2025 CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
CONSIDER APPROVING THE REVISED BUDGET CALENDAR FOR THE FY 2026-27 AND FY 2027-28 BIENNIAL BUDGET CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
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LIABILITY CLAIMS
CONSIDER DENYING LIABILITY CLAIM OF ABASI BUFORD (DOL 10/05/25) CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION
CONSIDER APPROVING AND ISSUING A PROCLAMATION COMMENDING PASTOR OTHA JOHNSON ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 103RD BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION, LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE TO THE SAN PABLO COMMUNITY CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
CONSIDER APPROVING PRELIMINARY STATE OF CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND COMMUNITY FUNDING NEEDS FOR 2026-27 STATE OF CA LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND BUDGET PROCESS FOR THE CITY OF SAN PABLO CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
CONSIDER APPROVING REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MARCH 2026 AS PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
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CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN EVENT SPONSORSHIP OF $2,000 TO HELMS MIDDLE SCHOOL (WITH BAY AREA COMMUNITY RESOURCES AS NON-PROFIT 501c(3) ORGANIZATION ACTING AS FISCAL AGENT) TO SUPPORT A WASHINGTON D.C. TRIP FOR HELMS MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH THE CLOSE UP PROGRAM CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO (1) AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR THE TOBACCO GRANT PROGRAM; (2) ACCEPTING UP TO $782,661 IN GRANT FUNDING OVER THREE FISCAL YEARS TO PARTIALLY FUND THE EXISTING FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER POSITION IN THE SAN PABLO POLICE DEPARTMENT TOBACCO OUTREACH UNIT AND PERSONNEL COSTS FOR QUALIFYING GRANT ACTIVITIES; AND (3) APPROPRIATING REIMBURSED GRANT FUNDING TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET, TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING AN EFFECTIVE, COMPREHENSIVE, AND STRATEGIC APPROACH TO COMBAT ILLEGAL TOBACCO USE AMONG MINORS CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO ESTABLISHING THE STORMWATER UTILITY ASSESSMENT RATE FOR FY 2026-27 AND REQUESTING THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT TO ADOPT AN ANNUAL PARCEL ASSESSMENT FOR DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE AND THE NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM PROGRAM CEQA: Establishing the Stormwater Utility Assessment (SUA) does not trigger CEQA since it is not a project per CEQA Guidelines Section 15378. This Section of the CEQA Guidelines states that a project does not include continuing administrative or maintenance activities, or the creation of government funding mechanisms or other government fiscal activities, which do not involve a commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment.
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO (1) AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO’S GRANT APPLICATION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) SAN FRANCISCO BAY RESTORATION GRANT FOR THE SAN PABLO GREEN STORMWATER MONITORING AND MAINTENANCE PROJECT FOR APPROXIMATELY $1.4 million; AND (2) AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE GRANT APPLICATION AND TO TAKE OTHER NECESSARY ACTIONS TO RECEIVE SUCH GRANT FUNDING CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO APPROVING A LOT LINE ADJUSTMENT BETWEEN CITY OF SAN PABLO-OWNED PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS 1050 GATEWAY AVENUE; APN 417-310-012 (PARCEL ONE), AND CITY OF SAN PABLO-OWNED PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS 1000 GATEWAY AVENUE; APN 417-310-013 (PARCEL TWO) FOR THE PURPOSE OF TRANSFERRING 2,347± SQUARE FEET FROM PARCEL TWO TO PARCEL ONE IN ORDER TO FACILITATE DRIVEWAY ALIGNMENT AND ACCESS CEQA: The proposed project has been determined to be categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA, in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15305 - Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations (minor lot line adjustment not resulting in the creation of any new parcel).
* * * * END OF CONSENT CALENDAR * * * *
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CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION/CONSIDERATION
ORDINANCES
CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO ADDING CHAPTER 9.70 (JUST CAUSE FOR EVICTION PROTECTIONS) AND CHAPTER 9.80 (HOUSING STABILITY AND ANTI-HARASSMENT PROTECTIONS) TO THE SAN PABLO MUNICIPAL CODE CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS (IF ANY)
MATERIALS SUBMITTED AFTER PUBLICATION OF THE AGENDA WILL BE APPENDED AFTER THE COUNCIL MEETING. THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM BUT MERELY A MECHANISM FOR MATERIALS SUBMITTED AFTER PUBLICATION OF THE AGENDA TO BE APPENDED TO THE PUBLISHED AGENDA AFTER THE COUNCIL MEETING.
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS REPORTS
Councilmember Arturo Cruz
Councilmember Patricia Ponce
Councilmember Abel Pineda
Vice Mayor Rita Xavier
Mayor Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado
ADJOURNMENT
Rollcall
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Respectfully Submitted, ____________________________ Casey Erlenheim, Interim Deputy City Clerk
Staff Present: City Manager, Matt Rodriguez City Attorney, Brian P. Hickey Interim Public Works Director, Jill Mercurio Economic Development and Housing Manager, Kieron Slaughter City Clerk, Dorothy Gantt Interim Deputy City Clerk, Casey Erlenheim
Motion to Change the Order of Agenda Items
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Mayor Pabon-Alvarado called a recess at 7:04 PM Meeting was Reconvened at 7:13 PM
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Approval of the Consent Agenda
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There were two Public Comments on the Consent Calendar from the following: Ray Hernandez and Taura Monteiro.

Housing protections introduced

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