Several cities around the Bay Area this fall are considering the adoption of rent control or making current rent control policies more onerous. Quelling this political movement will take coordination among both California Apartment Association staff and CAA members.
At present, CAA continues its dialogue with elected officials, government staffers and property owners in each of these communities. Among the hottest centers of debate are San Jose, Santa Rosa, San Mateo, Alameda and Mountain View.
CAA continues to educate council members and the public about why rent control fails wherever it’s implemented. At the same time, CAA’s public affairs team is proposing more sensible, long-term solutions to address housing affordability.
CAA members have a vital role to play as well. To fully appreciate the implications of rent control, elected officials need to hear from the property owners and managers who would be most affected. They need to hear stories from everyday people who would lose the financial wherewithall to improve their properties or save for retirement.
Click on the following city names for updates on the rent control debate and to find out how you can help:
Richmond referendum certified
In other rent control news this week, Contra Costa County’s registrar of voters certified CAA’s referendum to repeal rent control and just-cause eviction in Richmond.
This past summer, Richmond became the first city in California to approve rent control in roughly three decades. A CAA-led effort to collect thousands of signatures prevented Richmond’s rent control and just-cause eviction ordinance from taking effect.
Now that Contra Costa County’s registrar has counted and certified the signatures, it’s up to Richmond City Council members to either repeal the ordinance themselves or schedule the issue for a public vote.