This is a short general-information note on developments that have been showing up in Bay Area real estate, land use, and California landlord-tenant work. It is not legal advice and does not address any particular property or tenancy. Confirm current statutes, ordinances, and case filings before relying on them.
On September 15, 2026, the Richmond City Council adopted an urgency ordinance imposing a 45-day temporary moratorium on new data centers under Government Code section 65858. The staff report (DocID #76702v1) recommended the pause so the city can study electricity, water, noise, environmental, and land-use compatibility issues before deciding whether—and under what regulations—data centers may be permitted. Coverage of the meeting reports a 6–0 vote with Councilmember Jamelia Brown abstaining; as an urgency measure the ban took effect immediately and did not need a second reading. Staff reported no pending data-center applications. Under section 65858, after a noticed public hearing the Council may extend the moratorium for an additional 22 months and 15 days; staff said it intends to return within the initial 45 days to seek an extension. Richmond joins Oakley and Gilroy among Bay Area cities that have recently paused this use class.
Across the bay, landlord groups moved from the Empty Homes Tax ruling into the next fight. The First District’s September 11 affirmance in Debbane v. City and County of San Francisco left Proposition M unenforceable; the city attorney’s office has not committed to seeking California Supreme Court review. On or about September 12, the San Francisco Apartment Association sent a letter to the Board of Supervisors objecting to Supervisor Jackie Fielder’s proposed ordinance that would bar nonpayment evictions until a tenant owes more than one month of federal fair-market rent, arguing the measure conflicts with the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act and asking the Board to wait for related Los Angeles litigation. Reporting also describes a broader intent to challenge components of Mayor Daniel Lurie’s declared rental emergency package (including a proposed 10% rent-increase ceiling and related eviction-defense funding). None of those SF measures is law yet; the pattern to watch is preemption challenges to local eviction and rent rules after Debbane.
Closer to home on process: the Contra Costa County Planning Commission’s September 23, 2026 meeting is canceled. The Legistar calendar lists the next sitting for October 14, 2026, in Martinez. No new Richmond housing ordinance landed this week beyond the data-center urgency measure.
Rules and dockets change. Read the current text and the actual application file, not a weekly summary.