Rental policies up for review

Discussions in 2016 of whether San Mateo should implement tenant protections followed the formation of a housing task force aimed at scoping how the city could play a role in addressing the regional housing crisis.

A 2016 report issued by the task force put forward a range of rental protections city officials could consider implementing, including rent control, rental mediation and relocation assistance, among others, according to a staff report.

A set of linkage fees, which developers pay as a way to offset their impacts on affordable housing needs, was one item where councilmembers were able to find common ground, but discussions on tenant protection measures faltered after much dispute. Ultimately, a heated battle ensued over Measure Q, a citizen-initiated ballot measure to institute rent control, which failed after a divisive election.

Councilman Joe Goethals looked forward to continuing the discussion of policies he felt could be helpful for renters as they face a scarcity of available and affordable housing units. He said he has been encouraged by the partnership between housing and tenant advocates to scope solutions to the housing crisis.

“There just aren’t enough places for people to live who have jobs on the Peninsula and for that reason the cost is going up and up and up,” he said.

A prepared statement from the California Apartment Association affirmed the group’s commitment to partnering with the city since 2016 to discuss many of the ideas put forward by the housing task force.

“[California Apartment Association] Tri-County remains committed to working with the city of San Mateo to identify reasonable programs and policies to address the housing challenges facing the city’s residents,” according to the association’s statement. “We look forward to a productive, collaborative discussion on real solutions to address our housing challenges.”

In a Jan. 19 letter addressed to councilmembers, the association reminded officials it has led the effort to promote policies that ensured reliability, security and predictability for both renters and housing providers and has supported minimum lease terms, increased notification requirements, a framework to allow greater communication between landlords and tenants to settle disputes, and a reasonable, targeted relocation assistance for properties permanently removed from the market or units that must be vacated for extensive renovations.

Because the city has a policy to award tenants three months in rent payments when a residential building is demolished, it may consider extending that ordinance to include tenants displaced by extensive renovations requiring them to vacate the building during construction, according to a staff report.

Officials may also consider requiring landlords to pay for tenant relocation when units are deemed unsafe for occupancy by code enforcement or when renters cannot afford large rent increases to mitigate the impact of large cost jumps or several increases in a year, according to the report.

Councilmembers received several emails from residents and landlords in San Mateo outlining concerns about some of the measures and how they might present hardships for mom-and-pop property owners who may depend on the income from their rental properties and may not be able to afford to pay relocation assistance.

For Evelyn Stivers, executive director of the county’s Housing Leadership Council, the broad range of ideas included among the measures councilmembers will consider was encouraging. Given the challenges renters — especially larger families, seniors and those with disabilities — face with housing stability, Stivers said she views the policies up for review as strategies for preventing homelessness.

“The county has a rise in homelessness, especially with seniors, and providing a way for people to establish a new home when they lose their home is critical to preventing homelessness,” she said.

Councilman Eric Rodriguez said he’s looking forward to carefully listening to the options up for review Tuesday and also being mindful of the potential unintended consequences of any protections officials could put in place. He added officials could also explore similar efforts in other cities to gauge how the measures could take shape in San Mateo.

Noting his mother has seen her rent in San Mateo increase by more than 50 percent in recent years, Rodriguez expressed hope officials could help renters weather an expensive housing market while also ensuring they are fair to mom-and-pop landlords.

“Renters have it really tough right now in this environment,” he said, noting the market has also put pressure on landlords. “We’re in the middle of a housing crisis and I don’t think it’s necessarily fair to put an unfair burden on them. So how do we balance this?”

The study session will begin 5:30 p.m. Sept. 4 at City Hall, 330 W. 20th Ave.

anna@smdailyjournal.com

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