News: rent control
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In mid-June, the city of Santa Rosa is expected to impose a moratorium on rent increases of more than 3 percent on the city’s older multifamily housing.
The measure, which won preliminary approval from the council Tuesday, May 10, is intended to limit rent increases while city staff drafts a permanent rent control and just-cause eviction ordinance, a process that could take several months.
Greenlighted on a 4-2 vote, the temporary ordinance applies the 3 percent rent cap cumulatively over a 12-month period. So, while the moratorium is in effect, a landlord who’s already increased rent by 3 percent or… Read More
The San Jose City Council next week will consider an aggressive timeline for rolling out harsher rent control policies.
The implementation date and other issues related to San Jose’s Apartment Rent Ordinance will come up when the council meets Tuesday, May 10.
Two weeks ago, the City Council voted 6-5 to lower maximum annual rent increases on rent controlled units from 8 percent to 5 percent.
City officials had been considering a moratorium on rent growth until the harsher rules take effect, but according to the San Jose Mercury News, that idea is being shelved.
“We decided that it might… Read More
Tagged: Rent Control Tri-County
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.
“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… Read More
The Santa Rosa City Council next week will discuss rent control, just cause for eviction — and a possible moratorium on rent increases.
The discussion, scheduled for Tuesday, May 3, at City Hall, comes one month after the Santa Rosa Rent Stabilization Subcommittee voted 2-1 to recommend the measures.
Owners and managers of rental units in Santa Rosa are urged to attend Tuesday’s meeting, which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.
If the council follows the subcommittee’s recommendations, the most immediate impact would be an urgency ordinance halting any rent increases for 45 days.
The subcommittee votes for… Read More
San Jose’s long-standing cap on rent increases will soon get tighter.
On a 6-5 vote, the San Jose City Council early Wednesday approved lowering the maximum annual increase on rent-controlled units from 8 percent to 5 percent. This will affect about 43,000 units, or one-third of the city’s rental housing supply. The changes are expected to be ratified later this year and take effect no later than Jan. 1, 2017.
While not as onerous as the housing department’s proposal to tie rent control to inflation, lowering the price ceiling to 5 percent remains a bad policy change.
“The council found… Read More
Tagged: Rent Control Tri-County
The San Jose City Council on Tuesday is expected to vote on proposed changes to its rent control ordinance that could bring economic instability to renters and property owners while failing to address the underlying causes of rising market rents.
Possibilities include lowering the current 8 percent annual cap on rent increases, a move favored by Mayor Sam Liccardo. On the other hand, the city’s housing department recommends tying allowable rent increases to inflation, using the consumer price index.
The California Apartment Association opposes both options and encourages its members to speak out at next week’s council meeting, scheduled for… Read More
Tagged: Rent Control Tri-County
Once again, the San Mateo City Council has rejected a rent control proposal — this time in the form of an onerous relocation-assistance program.
The City Council’s decision Monday came after three hours of public testimony from local property owners, managers and real estate professionals about the dangers of the proposal.
The relocation-assistance ordinance would have forced rental housing providers to keep rent increases below 10 percent or face paying up to $21,500 for residents to vacate the unit – even after the end of a lease term.
“This proposal takes from one group and gives to another; taking rights… Read More
The Santa Rosa Rent Stabilization Subcommittee has voted 2-1 to recommend “soft” rent control and a just-cause-for eviction policy for the city.
The committee, at its March 31 meeting, also recommended that an urgency rent moratorium be enacted to halt any rent increases for 45 days. The full City Council is set to discuss these recommendations at its May 3 meeting.
The votes for soft rent control came from City Council members Julie Combs and Chris Coursey.
Don’t let the terminology fool you. “Soft” or “limited” rent stabilization is no different than real rent control.
The only minor variation from… Read More
Rebuffed at city halls in several Northern California cities, tenant advocates are increasingly turning to the November ballot in their push for strict rent control measures.
One week ago, tenant advocates in San Mateo began efforts to qualify a rent control-related ballot measure for the November 2016 election. This filing came just one day after the San Mateo City Council voted 3-2 against rent control and a just-cause eviction policy.
Moreover, the San Mateo filing came just days after tenant advocates in Burlingame and Mountain View filed similar measures, and renter advocate groups in Richmond and Alameda also are seeking… Read More
The San Mateo City Council next week will consider an emergency ordinance that would temporarily ban rent increases on pre-1995 apartments.
The council will consider the emergency ordinance at 7 p.m. Monday, April 4, at San Mateo City Hall. The ordinance, which also includes just-cause eviction measures, was recommended by city staff Thursday evening — just two business days before the council meeting.
If approved Monday, the measure could take effect as early as the following day. It would then last 90 days but could be extended.
City staff justifies this proposal by calling this a “temporary” measure. It is… Read More
Tagged: Just Cause EvictionRent Control