Oakland Mun. Code Chapter 8.22 § 8.22.710
Definitions (Oakland Rent Adjustment Program and Just Cause for Eviction Ordinances)
Operative Text
"Catastrophically Ill" has the same meaning as in O.M.C. 8.22.360 A.9.e.ii. "City Administrator" means the Oakland City Administrator or their designee. "City Attorney" means the Oakland City Attorney or their designee. "Disabled" has the same meaning as in O.M.C. 8.22.360 A.9.e.i.b. "Elderly" means sixty (60) years of age or older. "Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance" means the ordinance adopted by the voters on November 5, 2002 (also known as Measure EE) and codified at O.M.C. 8.22.300 (O.M.C. Chapter 8.22 , Article II). "Move Out Agreement" means a written agreement wherein the owner pays the tenant money or other consideration to vacate a rental unit. An agreement to settle an unlawful detainer action filed in Alameda County Superior Court shall not be a "move out agreement" for purposes of this Article. "Move Out Negotiations" means any discussion or bargaining, whether oral or written, between a tenant and an owner regarding the possibility of entering into a move out agreement. A move out negotiation begins upon the owner's initiation of such discussion or bargaining and ends at the earliest of the following events: when a move out agreement is executed, when the tenant vacates their unit, when the tenant expresses to the owner that the tenant no longer wishes to engage in move out negotiations, or when the owner provides written notice to the tenant that the owner no longer wishes to engage in move out negotiations. A counteroffer by the tenant does not end a move out negotiation. "Owner" has the same meaning as "landlord" in O.M.C. 8.22.340 . "Rent Adjustment Program" has the same meaning as in O.M.C. 8.22.020 . "Rent Board" has the same meaning as "board" in O.M.C. 8.22.020 . "Rental Unit" as used in this Article includes a "rental unit" as defined in O.M.C. 8.22.340 or a "covered unit" as defined in O.M.C. 8.22.020 . "Tenant" has the same meaning as in O.M.C. 8.22.340 . "Tenant Protection Ordinance" means the ordinance codified at O.M.C. 8.22.600 (O.M.C. Chapter 8.22 , Article V).
Oakland Municipal Code § 8.22.710 establishes the working vocabulary for the article by defining key terms such as 'Move Out Agreement,' 'Move Out Negotiations,' 'Elderly,' and others. Notably, a 'Move Out Agreement' covers written arrangements where an owner pays a tenant to vacate, but expressly excludes settlements of unlawful detainer actions filed in Alameda County Superior Court. 'Move Out Negotiations' are defined broadly to include any oral or written discussion about a possible move-out deal, beginning when the owner initiates talks and ending only upon specific triggering events—a tenant's counteroffer alone does not end the negotiation period.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under Oakland Mun. Code Chapter 8.22 should be familiar with how § 8.22.710 defines terms like 'Move Out Agreement' and 'Move Out Negotiations,' since these definitions determine which interactions and written arrangements trigger the article's protections and requirements. Compliant operators generally track when move-out discussions begin—because the negotiation period starts at the owner's initiation—and understand that only specific events, such as executing an agreement or providing written notice to stop negotiations, bring that period to a close.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Oakland Mun. Code § 8.22.710, the definitions of 'Move Out Negotiations' and 'Move Out Agreement' shape what conversations and written deals with your landlord fall under the article's protections. Because a negotiation begins when the owner first raises the possibility of a move-out deal, tenants may have protections from that moment forward, and a counteroffer does not forfeit those protections. Tenants who believe their rights under this article have been violated can explore options such as filing a complaint with Oakland's Rent Adjustment Program or consulting a tenant-rights organization for general guidance.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 4, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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