San Jose Mun. Code Chapter 17.23 § 17.23.132

Guesthouse (San Jose Apartment Rent Ordinance and Tenant Protection Ordinance)

In Force
Verified 6/11/2026 · Next check 9/9/2026
San JoseShort-Term Rentals

Operative Text

San Jose Mun. Code Chapter 17.23 § 17.23.132
"Guesthouse" shall have the meaning provided in Sections 20.200.470 and 20.200.480 .
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

San Jose Municipal Code Chapter 17.23 § 17.23.132 establishes that the term 'Guesthouse' carries the definition already set out in Sections 20.200.470 and 20.200.480 of the municipal code, rather than defining it anew within the rent regulation chapter. This cross-reference approach means the meaning of 'Guesthouse' for rent regulation purposes is determined by the city's zoning or land-use code. The practical effect is that both sections must be read together to understand how the term applies under Chapter 17.23.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on September 11, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Property owners and managers operating under San Jose Municipal Code Chapter 17.23 § 17.23.132 should be aware that whether a unit qualifies as a 'Guesthouse' is governed by the definitions found in Sections 20.200.470 and 20.200.480, not by a standalone rent-regulation definition. Compliant operators generally review both the zoning code sections and Chapter 17.23 together when classifying a unit to determine whether rent regulation obligations apply. Misclassifying a unit due to an incomplete reading of the cross-referenced definitions can affect how rent rules are applied to that property.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Under San Jose Municipal Code Chapter 17.23 § 17.23.132, whether a unit is considered a 'Guesthouse'—and therefore how rent regulations apply to it—depends on the definitions set out in Sections 20.200.470 and 20.200.480. Tenants who believe their unit has been incorrectly classified as a Guesthouse, potentially affecting their rent protections, can look into the definitions in those cross-referenced sections to understand the criteria. General enforcement paths include raising a misclassification concern with the San Jose Housing Department or consulting a local tenant-rights organization familiar with how § 17.23.132 interacts with the broader municipal code.

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 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

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Related Rules

§ 7-257
Regulations
§ 7-258
Severability
§ 6-5
Short-term rentals

Source Information