As landlords who were residing in Berkeley last year, we were unaware of the local Ordinance that was passed in San Diego during our absence. This lack of awareness has unfortunately led us into a lawsuit filed by tenants amounting to $309,000. The reason for this lawsuit is a specific requirement to provide notification of the San Diego ordinance to our former tenants - a requirement we were not aware of due to our relocation.

The current stringent rules are leading many landlords into litigation, simply because they are not fully aware of all the requirements. We believe that minor revisions can be made to this ordinance which will protect both tenants and landlords alike.

We propose an exemption for single family owners from certain aspects of the ordinance, asking to provide exemption for local ordinance notification, if they have provided state required notification, especially those who have relocated and may not be aware of new changes in local laws. This revision will help prevent undue advantage being taken by tenants and reduce unnecessary litigation costs.

We urge you all - fellow landlords, tenants who seek fair treatment, and concerned citizens - let's call upon our city officials in San Diego for this much-needed change. Please sign this petition urging them to revise the San Diego Tenant Protection Ordinance with exemptions to provide notification for single family owners, if they have already provided notifications per state law.