Despite over six hours of public comment from stakeholders and strong opposition from local rental owners, the Santa Rosa City Council on May 3 voted 4-3 to direct city staff to draft a rent control and just-cause eviction ordinance.
Mallori Spilker
“CAA North Coast would like to thank our members that attended the meeting and spoke out against rent control and just-cause evictions,” said Mallori Spilker, local CAA executive director. “Your advocacy efforts are greatly appreciated.”
A rent control ordinance would prohibit rent increases from exceeding a fixed percentage annually, which was determined to be 3 percent.
Rent control would only apply to multifamily units built prior to Feb. 1, 1995. Single-family homes, condominiums, owner-occupied triplexes, and all duplexes are exempt . It was further proposed that this ordinance apply retroactively, using Jan. 1, 2016, rental rates.
The council majority directed staff to include a just-cause eviction measure in the draft ordinance, which would apply to all rentals in Santa Rosa. A just-cause eviction provision would only allow rental owners and managers to remove tenants from a rental unit for specified reasons, including but not limited to: habitual non-payment of rent, breach of contract, nuisance, temporary removal for capital improvements, and removal of the unit from the market.
If formally adopted, this program would be administered by city staff, potentially the Housing Authority, and could allow for rent increases above the fixed percentage of 3 percent under “certain circumstances,” which may include a history of low rents, or amortized improvements. The ordinance may also include a sunset provision, allowing its elimination if vacancy rates reach 5 percent in Santa Rosa. The program costs are to be determined; however, costs will be on a per-unit basis with 50 percent passed on to the tenant.
Additionally, the rent moratorium urgency ordinance did not obtain the necessary five votes to pass. The majority of council urged city staff to bring back a (non-urgency) rent moratorium ordinance at a later meeting to be voted on once again, which will likely be agendized in May.
“CAA North Coast will continue to aggressively oppose and monitor this issue, and will keep our members apprised of any new developments,” Spilker said. “A draft rent control and just cause eviction ordinance is expected to be crafted over the month of May/June, and we will be working with local policy makers to ensure our industry’s perspective is considered during this process.”