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Richmond’s local rent control ordinances officially suspended

on October 21, 2015

The rent control ordinance set to take effect on September 4 for Richmond renters has been officially suspended. The County Clerk elections department validated enough  signatures to prevent rent control from becoming law.

The Richmond City Council’s meeting agenda showed the Contra Costa County Clerk Recorder-Elections Division ruled the petition had 389 valid signatures out of a random sampling of 500 signatures.

The California Apartment Association (CAA) backed the petition to gather the necessary 4,100 signatures to block the new ordinance.

As the Bay Area technology boom continues to grow, rent stabilization is considered a solution to today’s housing crisis to prevent displacement of low-income residents. The ordinance, which was set to take place last month, would have made Richmond the first California city to pass this type of legislation in more than 30 years.

The agenda report states the city’s next steps. The council can still repeal the legislation in its entirety, place it on the November 2016 ballot or hold a special election in June 2016. So far the city council’s only action is receiving the Certificate of Sufficiency of Petition.

5 Comments

  1. Lucy on October 23, 2015 at 9:49 pm

    I dont think is fare that the city of richmond is making landlords responsable for the lack of housing. Landlors are been penalize for using their own money to survive in this city, On top of all the fee that are trying to impose, now landlords have to have a lincence to rent a property. Tenants also need to indurstand that, that sometimes increase of rent is not an option but a need, in order to pay the morgage and licence etc. to the city of richmond



    • landlord who can read/spell on October 24, 2015 at 8:38 am

      If you’re a landlord your spelling and grammar really suck. How can someone as dumb as yu manage to operate a door much less a complex device like a computer? Also, mortgages aren’t paid to the “City of Richmond” really what school did you go to?



      • John Knox on October 25, 2015 at 3:39 pm

        By the way, “you” is not spelled “yu.” Your post is mean spirited and not helpful. Not all landlords are big corporations or sophisticated people. Have a little empathy for folks, ok?



  2. Tony Suggs on October 24, 2015 at 5:56 pm

    All one has to do is look at San Francisco, New York, Berkeley and other cities with rent control to see that it does not work to keep rents low.

    But why should rent be kept artificially low when all other prices for everyday items continue to rise?

    Contrary to somewhat popular belief, no one has the right to live just anywhere they want to. If that was the case we would all be in places like Beverly Hills, Tiburon, etc.

    If you cant afford to pay your rent then you have several choices to chose from.

    Reduce spending on other things.
    Get a better paying job.
    Move to a more affordable area.



  3. […] Richmond's local rent control ordinances officially suspended Tenants also need to indurstand that, that sometimes increase of rent is not an option but a need, in order to pay the morgage and licence etc. to the city of richmond. Reply. landlord who can read/spell. October 24, 2015 at 8:38 am. If you're a … Read more on Richmond Confidential […]



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