11K sign for rent control in San Mateo: Tenant advocates claim support for November ballot initiative

A similar movement is in the works in Burlingame and, on Monday, June 27, San Mateo advocates delivered boxes full of signatures after nearly 200 volunteers spent about two months canvassing the city in which nearly half of its residents rent.

Opponents remain concerned arguing rent control unduly places the burden of the regional housing crisis on landlords and contend such measures have negatively affected cities like San Francisco.

Advocates point to longtime residents and families being squeezed out of the community due to drastic rent increases and opted to take matters into their own hands. The group gathered far more than the 7,119 signatures required to place the “San Mateo Community Preservation and Fair Rent Charter Amendment” on the ballot, according to Aracely Mondragon, community organizer with Faith in Action Bay Area.

“The reality is that right now, without any regulations, we can’t deny that there are huge rent increases, that there are mass evictions and unregulated speculation going on. The reality is there is a housing crisis and an urgency around it,” Mondragon said. “Without any renter protections, people will continue to be pushed out and of course we need a multi-faceted solution to the housing crisis. But we need a baseline to keep people in their homes.”

The effects of rapid job growth paired with relatively minimal housing construction began to peak in recent years and San Mateo sale prices have increased between 73 percent to 87 percent over the last four years. With fewer able to buy, the Bay Area’s rental market has become increasingly competitive as well as lucrative. Tenant advocates estimate more than 1,000 people were evicted without cause last year and noted several mass-displacements when the sale of an apartment building was quickly followed by large rent increases or displacement, according to the nonprofit Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto.

Details

The ballot proposal would cap rent increases at 4 percent per year, but landlords who refrain from increases for at least a year can accumulate that for an up to 8 percent rent increase. The just cause eviction provision would prevent renters from being told to leave unless they breach the terms of their lease, break the law, fail to pay rent, are a nuisance, if substantial repairs to the unit are needed, if the property will no longer be used as rental or if the landlord plans to move in.

It wouldn’t apply to single-family homes, condominiums or secondary units and duplexes where a landlord lives on site. An estimated 66 percent of the city’s rentals or about 11,800 units would be affected as per state law, properties built after Feb. 1, 1995, are exempt from rent control. However, just cause eviction provisions would still apply.

Nearly half of San Mateo residents are renters with 42 percent or about 7,185 households paying more than 30 percent of their income toward housing costs, according to proponents.

Concerns

Mayor Joe Goethals noted the signatures must first be validated by the county Elections Office. When the council initially gridlocked on whether to institute emergency provisions, Goethals suggested a relocation assistance program. But after hearing concerns from a large group of landlords who attended the meetings clad in green “Save the Dream” stickers, Goethals noted this controversial issue is nuanced and on Monday, expressed concerns about the ballot.

“This would dramatically change the rules surrounding rental housing and dramatically changing the rules would benefit current renters and would penalize current landlords of all sizes. It’s a divisive issue because any resolution creates winners and losers,” Goethals said.

He noted there’s no “means test” to differentiate between those who are struggling to afford the area’s high cost of rent and fears property owners may respond by taking their rentals off the market, a problematic scenario during a crisis.

“In order to address this, we really have to increase supply and I felt that this might impact supply,” Goethals said.

The council formed its housing task force late last year with stakeholders ranging from landlords and real estate association representatives, to faith leaders and affordable housing advocates. But similar to the group, the council was also unable to achieve a consensus on enacting more immediate protections for renters during several contentious public meetings.

Opposition, support

The California Apartment Association, which represents homeowners, businesses and trade associations, is strongly opposed to all forms of rent control and is committed to defeating any related ballot measure, according to CAA’s Government Affairs Director Rhovy Lyn Antonio.

She encouraged county elections officials to be thorough in their review of the signatures. Antonio served on the city’s housing task force and noted its final report outlined more than 30 initiatives they reached a consensus on that would provide both short-term and long-term ideas to meet demand.

“Rather than allow these real solutions to work, rent control activists are taking an all or nothing approach to enact a failed policy that doesn’t provide any relief to the low-income families who need the so-called benefits of rent control most,” Antonio wrote in an email. “Rent control policies do not reduce the cost of housing, do not make housing more affordable, and do not do anything to encourage more housing construction.”

Despite staunch opposition, Mondragon and volunteers noted those who gathered signatures received consistent gratitude from the community with many thanking them for their efforts.

“The campaign to place rent stabilization on the ballot exposed the true heart of San Mateo,” the Rev. Penny Nixon, of the Congregational Church of San Mateo said in a press release Monday. “I believe the majority of people in San Mateo want a city that is characterized by the spirit of this campaign — community, care and compassion.”

The Elections Office has 30 days to evaluate the signatures after receipt and the City Council is set to consider the results Aug. 1. If placed on the ballot, a majority approval is needed to pass.