Sonora, Cal., Code of Ordinances § 16.06 § 16.06.030
Determination of Apartment Vacancy Rate and Surplus
Operative Text
Upon application for a conversion, the building official shall determine, on the basis of a representative sampling of apartment buildings, the apartment vacancy rate and the apartment vacancy surplus, if any. Such determination shall be set forth in a written report to the planning commission and city council. New market-priced apartments available to the general public, for which a certificate of use and occupancy has been issued since the last vacancy survey, shall be added on a unit-for-unit basis to either reduce the apartment vacancy deficiency or increase the apartment vacancy surplus. Apartments existing as of the last vacancy survey, for which demolition permits have since been issued, or for which a planned development permit for conversion to community housing has been approved, shall be added to subtracted on a unit-for-unit basis to either increase the apartment vacancy deficiency or reduce the apartment vacancy surplus.
Under Sonora Code of Ordinances § 16.06.030, before a condominium conversion can proceed, the city's building official must assess the local apartment vacancy rate and determine whether a surplus or deficiency of available units exists. This assessment is based on a representative sampling of apartment buildings and must be documented in a written report delivered to the planning commission and city council. The calculation accounts for newly built market-rate apartments added since the last vacancy survey, as well as units lost to demolition or converted to community housing, adjusting the vacancy figures accordingly on a unit-for-unit basis.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners or managers seeking a condominium conversion in Sonora should be aware that § 16.06.030 requires the building official to conduct a vacancy rate analysis before any conversion application can advance. A compliant operator generally ensures that accurate information about the property is available to support the building official's representative sampling process. Because newly issued certificates of occupancy and demolition permits both factor into the vacancy calculation, operators typically keep documentation of any recent construction or demolition activity on or near their properties current and accessible.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Sonora Code of Ordinances § 16.06.030 establishes a procedural safeguard that requires city officials to evaluate the local apartment supply before approving a conversion that could reduce the number of rental units available to the public. Tenants living in buildings subject to a conversion application may have an interest in the written report submitted to the planning commission and city council, as it reflects the broader housing availability context. Tenants who have concerns about a pending conversion can attend public planning commission or city council meetings where the report is considered, or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization to better understand how the vacancy determination may affect their housing situation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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