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TENANT PROTECTIONS DURING CONSTRUCTION
In 1999, the City Council adopted requirements for tenant protections during construction as part of the building permit review process for residential tenant occupied properties. Chapter 8.100 of the Santa Monica Municipal Code (SMMC) states that a building permit applicant may be required to submit a Means and Methods Plan (MMP) when applying for a permit to alter, repair, or rehabilitate any tenant occupied structure in a manner that could impact habitability. The MMP shall disclose the means and methods of how construction will be performed to assess tenant safety and unit habitability during construction, and to assess whether the proposed construction impacts require tenants to be temporarily relocated during construction. When multiple permits are open on a property a permit applicant may be required to submit a MMP that consolidates the work of the open permits along with newly proposed construction to properly assess the compounded construction impact.

 

Means and Methods Plan Content

The Means and Methods Plan consists of three components: 1) a basic Means and Methods Plan, 2) a supplemental Means and Methods Plan, and 3) a relocation plan if temporary tenant relocation is required.  All plan components can be found in the Means and Methods Plan packet. The type of MMP required for a project is aligned with building permit application plan review thresholds.

Soft-Story Seismic Retrofit Projects
Means and Methods Plan information related to soft-story seismic retrofit projects can be found here. 

 

Temporary Tenant Relocation

A Temporary Relocation Plan is required when the construction work on the property requires tenants to temporarily relocate. The Temporary Relocation Plan is Attachment A in the Means and Methods Plan packet. Temporarily displaced tenants are entitled to receive temporary tenant relocation assistance from property owners as required by SMMC Section 4.36.100.

 

Tenant Noticing

Noticing to all affected tenants residing on a property where a building permit review required a Means and Methods Plan is required pursuant to SMMC Section 8.11.040, and is subject to the timing requirements indicated in the table below. Proof of delivery is submitted to the City using the Proof of Delivery Form. If construction exceeds thirty days in duration, the permit applicant, property owner or owner representative must provide monthly construction notices to the tenants regarding the progress of construction.

Same-Day Plan Review

Minor Plan Review

Medium or Major Plan Review

Approved MMP must be provided to all affected tenants within five days of permit issuance, and work cannot commence until 24 hours after notice is provided to Tenants. 

Approved MMP must be provided to all affected tenants within 5 days of the issuance of the building permit, as evidenced by emailing proof of delivery to the City at buildingandsafety@smgov.net.

Approved MMP must be provided to all affected tenants, along with  submittal of proof of delivery to the City, prior to the issuance of the building permit.

 

The City may require a staff/owner meeting for projects with significant construction impacts prior to Means and Methods Plan approval.

 

Tenant Concerns During Construction

Residents should immediately contact the City's Code Enforcement Division at (310) 458-4984 regarding any unsafe conditions or activities in violation of an approved Means and Methods Plan.


Other Tenant Resources

Tenant Harassment

City Attorney's Office - Consumer Protection Division

Code Enforcement Division - The Code Enforcement Division is responsible for enforcing tenant harassment cases relating to active code cases, construction, relocation or violations of buyout agreements. 

 

Rent Control