Referendum efforts continue with two weeks left to gather signatures
jose.romo
SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) — Salinas voters getting together as they continue their referendum efforts, hoping to turn back city council’s decision to repeal rent control ordinances.
After the council’s decision at the start of June, dozens of community members and volunteers began collecting 10,000 signatures from Salinas registered voters.
“We’re at about the halfway point,” said Protect Salinas Renters volunteer Orlando Osornio. “There’s probably about 4,000 to 4,500 signatures that have already been collected.”
There are two weeks left in the 30-day timeframe since the decision.
“We are just continuing to build on that momentum…” said Osornio. “There’s a lot of interest because there’s a lot of people that don’t even know that this happened. So right now, we’re getting a lot of positivity from a lot of the folks that are signing the petition.”
Many of these volunteers are turning to help the efforts after feeling the current city council has not heard city renters’ overall needs.
“We’re just doing what the people would like for us to do and that’s to see if there’s something that can be done for rent and for renter protections here in Salinas,” said Osornio.
The volunteers have gathered signatures from community events, stores, restaurants and by going door-to-door around the community.
Some Salinas property owners still feel the rent control ordinances are not the solution.
“There is definitely concern and something that we have to think about and address as we move forward,” said a local property manager Amy Salmina. “I feel my tennants would best be represented and best be assisted by this type of assistance program or deposit assistance program.”
“I would tell the owners to get ready,” said Osornio. “There’s a lot of renters here in Salinas that don’t agree with the harassment with tenants. They can’t already afford rent in the Monterey County, more specifically, Salinas.”
If the referendum efforts are successful, the ordinance repeal would be paused, giving the council the decision to have a special election or wait for next year’s general election to see this on the ballot.