One councilman rents his home from another councilman

BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT
Daily Post Staff Writer

Los Altos Mayor Jonathan Weinberg is renting out his old house to Vice Mayor Pete Dailey.

Weinberg said he moved out because his kids were entering high school, and his family wanted to go to Los Altos High School instead of Homestead High School in Cupertino.

So Weinberg moved to a rental in northern Los Altos, at the same time Dailey was looking for a new home.

“I know Pete. I trust Pete,” Weinberg said yesterday. “If I rent directly to Pete, I wouldn’t have to pay a property manager 10% of the rent a month to manage it. And it’s worked out fine.”

Weinberg and Dailey have been friends since their time together on the Parks and Recreation Commission, and Dailey was Weinberg’s campaign treasurer when he ran for council four years ago, Weinberg said.

They signed a three-year lease on July 24. Weinberg is charging Dailey $8,500 a month for the house on Bellwood Court, in the Grant Park neighborhood.

Dailey provided a copy of the 49-page lease to the Post on Friday.

Weinberg, who works as a real estate attorney, said the lease is at market rate and the terms are clear. He’s not worried about any conflicts related to the house bleeding into council business, or the other way around.

“If one of us gets upset at the other, that’s not going to affect the business relationship we have … We’re professionals,” Weinberg said. Weinberg is one of five candidates running for three open seats on council in the last citywide election.

Dailey would be up for re-election in 2026, when the city will be divided into five districts with a council member elected from each one. Council on Tuesday will pick a map to divide the city into districts. Council will also decide which districts are up for election first. Dailey now lives in the same neighborhood as Councilwoman Lynette Lee Eng, who is termed out but could run again in 2026.

Dailey’s lease ends on June 30, 2027.