California Apartment Association (CAA) is urging Santa Ana, California, residents to revoke the recently approved rent control ordinance before it goes into effect on Nov. 19.
On Oct. 19, the city became the first in Orange County to pass a rent control ordinance at a city council meeting with a 4–3 vote. law prevents landlords from raising rent by more than 3 percent annually.
“ California Apartment Association and a coalition of business groups, local housing providers and residents, believe the City Council rushed to impose these laws without any meaningful outreach to the community, analysis, or understanding of their impacts on the city’s finances of housing stock,” CAA Senior Vice President of Local Public Affairs Victor Cao said in a statement.
Before the ordinance goes into effect, petitioners must gather 12,500 signatures from registered voters to potentially referend the ordinance.
Once the signatures are collected and valid, the city council can choose to either revoke the rent control policies or put them on the ballot for residents to vote on.
“ referendum will allow Santa Ana voters to have a community conversation and decide whether they want a multi-million-dollar bureaucracy to regulate the housing market forced on the city by four council members,” Cao said.
Santa Ana’s rent control is foreseen to be stricter than those throughout the state as rent increases are capped at 80 percent of the local inflation rate, according to CAA. ordinance will also require the district attorney to assist with eviction due to criminal activity.
Mayor Vincente Sarmiento applauded the ordinance with its promise to halt unnecessary rent hikes.
“ adoption of the Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinances will finally address the long-standing plea from so many of our rent-burdened working families in Santa Ana,” Sarmiento said in a statement.
“se new ordinances will stabilize our neighborhoods and prevent the trauma of being displaced by excessive rent hikes and unjustified evictions. Landlords and property owners will continue to have the ability to responsibly manage and generate a reasonable return on their investment.”
A spokesperson from City of Santa Ana for more information regarding the petition against the ordinance but did not receive a response by press time.
Pezou : Apartment Association Urges Santa Ana Residents to Revoke New Rent Control Law