Sheehan

BACKGROUND

In May 2017, the City, as the property owner, and Sheehan, as the tenant, entered into a lease agreement for residential property located in Alameda, California. 2 In December 2020, Sheehan stopped paying rent and did not pay rent for over 17 months. On April 5, 2022, the City served Sheehan with a three-day notice to pay rent or vacate the premises pursuant to section 1161(2). The notice states, in relevant part, that payment “must be made by cash or check, payable to City of Alameda and must be delivered to City of Alameda c/o River Rock Real Estate Group at 950 West Mall Square, Suite 239, Alameda, California 94501.” (Boldface omitted.) The three-day period expired without Sheehan paying rent or vacating the premises, and the City initiated this action for unlawful detainer. 3 Sheehan moved for judgment on the pleadings, contending that the notice was defective. Sheehan argued that the notice failed to provide the name of a natural person to whom rent may be paid and that the notice’s “vague demand for unspecified sums of rent” failed to state the precise amount of rent owed. In opposition, the City argued that “person,” as used in section 1161(2), is not limited to…