California voters will have a chance this November to rewrite the state’s law relating to rent control.
The proposed Justice for Renters Act was added to the statewide ballot as Proposition 33. The ballot initiative consists of a single sentence: “The state may not limit the right of any city, county, or city and county to maintain, enact or expand residential rent control.”
In May, the executive board of California’s Democratic Party voted to support the ballot initiative. The initiative’s supporters also include Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
“California has more people who are rent burdened than anywhere in the country,” said Susie Shannon, campaign manager for the Justice for Renters campaign, who added that the “Democratic Party sent a strong message that Democrats care about the 17 million renters that live in California, including those who are suffering and struggling to pay rent.”
The California Apartment Association has emerged as the leading opponent to this endeavor.
“If approved, the so-called ‘Justice for Renters Act’ would eliminate the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, landmark legislation that prevents stringent forms of rent control on specific types of housing, such as single-family homes and housing built after February 1995,” said Mike Nemeth, the association’s marketing and communications director in a blog posting. “The measure would give local governments unchecked power to impose extreme rent control policies, including vacancy controls, as well as affordable housing requirements so strict they effectively kill projects, preventing any new housing from being built.”
Photo: Ward DeWitt / iStock
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Once again, not thought through. Of course renters will vote for this measure. It will decrease the housing supply as people will not buy and maintain rental properties. Stupid!