Oakland became the first city in California to ban criminal background checks in most housing applications for private and other rental units under a measure adopted by the City Council on Tuesday.

The council unanimously passed a “fair chance housing” ordinance that bars landlords from conducting criminal background checks on prospective tenants. The Berkeley City Council is expected to vote on a similar measure in February.

“This ordinance is about making sure returning community members have equal opportunities they deserve to successfully reintegrate into our community, and this begins with a roof over your head,” said Councilwoman Nikki Fortunato Bas, a co-sponsor of the measure.

Councilman Dan Kalb and Vice Mayor Larry Reid are also co-sponsors.

San Francisco and Richmond have similar but more narrowly focused laws. In San Francisco, the law applies only to affordable housing, and in Richmond it applies to all publicly subsidized affordable housing and nonprofit housing.

The ordinance in Oakland is the first to include rental units outside subsidized affordable and nonprofit housing. The measure, supporters say, could prevent homelessness and bring down the recidivism rate. Bas said that a survey taken in Oakland’s homeless encampments determined that 73% of the people living there were formerly incarcerated.

“There is only one place in America that any one of us is guaranteed a roof over our heads and that is in prison,” said John Jones III, campaign director for Alameda County Fair Chance to Housing Coalition. “All of us seek to have safe shelter. That should not be a matter of privilege.”

Bas said that since the introduction of the ordinance at a committee meeting on Jan. 14, she hasn’t heard of any opposition. Landlords in Seattle have sued over a similar measure, and a property-owners group in Berkeley has expressed concerns that the ordinance could take away their discretion in choosing renters.

“It’s a little surprising,” Bas said. “But I haven’t received any phone calls or emails expressing concerns about it. This is going to be the first and the strongest in California, but not the first in the country, so we are learning from other cities.”

Some rental units will be exempt from the ordinance, including accessory dwelling units, single-family homes, duplexes and triplexes. Accessory dwelling units include backyard and secondary units. But those units are excluded only if they are owner-occupied. Additionally, landlords can still review the state’s sex offender list when examining a housing application.

Section 8 vouchers and units funded by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development can also conduct a limited background check — as required by federal rules — but will then have to follow the local ordinance. Currently, federal rules allow for the exclusion of people who are on the sex offender list and those who were previously convicted for manufacturing meth.

“Landlords still have access to landlord references, to your income information, whether or not you’re employed — all the things that we need to know whether or not someone is going to be a good tenant,” said Margaretta Lin, executive director of the Just Cities/Dellums Institute, a social justice group in Oakland.

Lee “Taqwaa” Bonner said the ordinance could change his life. His housing status has remained unstable since he was released from state prison three years ago.

“I was born and raised in Oakland,” Bonner said. “I am employed in Oakland. I own and drive a vehicle in Oakland. However, I cannot live in Oakland based solely on my criminal record, which happened 30 years ago.”

The ordinance took effect immediately, but landlords will have a six-month grace period before facing any violations.

Applicants who believe they were discriminated against due to their criminal background can file a complaint with the city or a lawsuit. The city can issue penalties of up to $1,000 per violation.

If a private action is filed, a court could award damages.

“Mass incarceration and homelessness are two of the greatest national failures of our time. Both disproportionately impact African Americans,” Oakland City Attorney Barbara J. Parker said. “This ordinance removes one barrier that prevents access to housing in our city, and in doing so, also removes a barrier to justice for a community that is suffering in a massively unequal way in both of these crises.”

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani