On July 30, the Oakland City Council adopted an ordinance to ensure that Oakland renters in elevator buildings have reliable access to working elevators and that renters with mobility-related or other physical restrictions are relocated if elevators are inoperable for more than 24 hours. This new law applies to buildings with three or more residential units and for the first time provides residents with mobility-related disabilities clear options for recourse. It will take effect on December 15 of this year.

The Elevator Maintenance Ordinance was crafted and sponsored by City Attorney Barbara J. Parker and co-sponsored by Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas, Council President pro tempore Dan Kalb, and Councilmembers Carroll Fife and Treva Reid. The new law requires that landlords conduct regular elevator maintenance to ensure that elevators remain operable at all times. It also requires that landlords provide advance notice to tenants when an elevator will be out of service for any period of time for regular maintenance. 

“This ordinance addresses existing gaps in state and local laws to ensure Oakland renters who rely on an elevator to reach their apartments have reliable access to their homes. I am grateful to our City Council for providing these critical protections for tenants with mobility-related disabilities or other physical restrictions that will enable them to have reliable access to their homes.” – City Attorney Barbara J. Parker