Building owners leasing to qualified commercial tenants must now give at least a 30-day notice before the effective date of the increase if the rent is raised by 10% or less and 90 days’ notice if the hike is greater than 10%.

Under existing law, month-to-month leases generally can be extended after their termination date if the landlord keeps accepting rent, with the building owner required to provide a 30 days notice of termination. For SB 1103, a qualified tenant must be given 60 days’ notice of termination if the renter has occupied the property for more than one year.

SB 1103 establishes restrictions on landlords charging building operating costs (which includes maintenance, or repair of commercial property) to qualified small tenants, requiring landlords to provide documentation of the charges and when the costs were assessed.

Qualified commercial tenants are required under SB 1103 to provide the landlord with a written notice that the renter is qualified for these protections, including a “self-attestation” regarding the number of employees in the small enterprise.

The Commercial Tenant Protection Act, passed by the state legislature in September, was authored by Sen. Caroline Menjivar, who represents San Fernando Valley. It was supported by a coalition of sponsors including Bet Tzedek Legal Services, CAMEO Network, Inclusive Action for the City, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, and Small Business Majority.

“Micro-enterprises and small nonprofits exist because of the passion, sweat equity, and determination of individuals who bring their dreams to reality,” Menjivar said, in a statement.

“When they finally got that shot at a brick and mortar, SB 1103 will ensure the most common-sense protections for these vulnerable qualified tenants: expanded translation of leases when not negotiated in English, longer notice periods for rent increases and evictions, and transparency of building operating costs,” Menjivar said.