Alameda to consider binding arbitration for disputes over rent increases
The Alameda City Council next week will consider placing disputes over rent increases into binding arbitration, a move that effectively imposes rent control in the local market.
Under such a system, owners would have to justify any rent increase over 5 percent and participate in a process in which the city — not the owner or market — determines how much rents can go up.
The California Apartment Association is calling on its members to attend the meeting, scheduled for the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 16, and speak out against the proposal. The city’s strategy would add layers of red tape and bureaucracy to rental housing business decisions but fail to add much-needed housing to the community.
The city’s proposal also could force owners to pay thousands of dollars in relocation assistance to have tenants move for almost any reason. Click here to review CAA’s response to the proposal.