As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a) “Owner” includes any person, acting as principal or through an agent, having the right to offer commercial real property for rent, and includes any predecessor in interest to the owner.

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(b) “Price” includes any charge or fee, however denominated, for the hiring of commercial real property and includes any security or deposit subject to Section 1950.7.

(c) “Public entity” has the same meaning as defined in § 811.2 of the Government Code.

(d) “Commercial real property” includes any part, portion, or unit thereof, and any related facilities, space, or services, except the following:

(1) Any dwelling or dwelling unit subject to the provisions of Section 1940.

(2) Any accommodation in any residential hotel, as defined in § 50519 of the Health and Safety Code, or comparable accommodations which are specifically regulated by a public entity in structures where 20 percent or more of the accommodations are occupied by persons as their primary residence.

(3) Any hotel unit not otherwise specified in paragraph (1) or (2) that is located in a structure with 20 or more units or in which 20 percent or more of the accommodations were occupied as of August 5, 1987, by persons as their primary residence, if, in either circumstance, the unit was subject to rental controls on August 5, 1987, provided that any control exercised thereafter is in accordance with the system of controls in effect on August 5, 1987.

(4) Any space or dwelling unit in any mobilehome park, as defined in § 18214 of the Health and Safety Code.

(e) “Rent” means to hire real property and includes a lease or sublease.

(f) “Commercial rental control” includes any action of a public entity taken by statute, charter, ordinance, resolution, administrative regulation, or any other governmental enactment to establish, continue, implement, or enforce any control or system of controls, on the price at which, or the term for which, commercial real property may be offered for rent, or control or system of controls which would select, mandate, dictate, or otherwise designate a specific tenant or specific person or entity with whom the owner must negotiate on the formation, extension, or renewal of a tenancy; or any other enactment which has such a purpose.

(g) “Tenant” includes a lessee, subtenant, and sublessee.

(h) “Term” means the period of time for which real property is rented or offered for rent, and includes any provision for a termination or extension of such a period or renewal thereof, except that nothing in this chapter supersedes the specific provisions of this code or of the Code of Civil Procedure which of themselves establish, prescribe, limit, or define the term for which real property may be rented.

(i) “Impasse notice” means a written notice which states either of the following:

(1) That the owner has not received from the tenant an offer of any terms for an extension or renewal of the lease which are acceptable to the owner, or an acceptance by the tenant of any offer of terms by the owner, and that an impasse with respect to any agreement on a lease extension or renewal has been reached.

(2) That the owner is not willing to extend or renew the lease.

(j) “Negotiation notice” means a written notice by a tenant in privity of estate, and in privity of contract with the owner, stating either of the following:

(1) That the tenant offers to extend or renew the lease on terms set forth in the notice.

(2) That the tenant solicits an offer for the extension or renewal of the lease from the owner.

(k) “Deliver” means to deliver by personal service or by placing a copy of the notice in the mail, postage prepaid, by certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the party at the address for the receipt of notices under the lease.

(l) “Developer” means any person who enters into an agreement with a redevelopment agency for the purpose of developing specific commercial real property within a redevelopment project area with the intention of acquiring ownership of that property, even if that person does not own that property when the agreement is executed.

(Added by Stats. 1987, Ch. 824, Sec. 2.)