Santa Barbara City Council Votes to Have Rent Stabilization Discussion on Future Agenda
Tracy Lehr
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – People packed the Santa Barbara City Council meeting once they saw an agenda item requesting the consideration of adding a rent stabilization ordinance discussion to a future agenda.
The overflow room was also full of people watching the meeting on television.
The controversy began when Councilmembers Wendy Santamaria and Kristen Sneddon asked the council to agendize the issue.
Although they did not vote on an specifics they would like the council to consider allowable rent increases of 60 percent of the California Consumer Price index.
Their idea would impact older rental units and could change the Rental Housing Mediation Board into a Rental Housing Stabilization Program.
Before voting to only discuss the issue at a later date, city councilmembers heard a large number of public comments that included dozens of landlords opposing any talk of rent stabilization or rent control.
Solange Sanhueza, who is a lawyer who owns a rental unit, compared it to communism.
Anthony Dal Bello said he won’t be able to make up for repairs he made in his lifetime with rent stabilization.
“If this is passed property owners who have had property a long time like me will have to sell their properties because they cannot raise the rents to cover their expenses,” said Dal Bello.
Orion Ross, who is a landlord to people in foster care, said he sees both sides of the issue, but doesn’t want an ordinance.
“Free market allows for generosity,” said Ross.
Others born and raised in Santa Barbara said without more housing and more affordable housing they won’t be able to stay in the community.
A first responder said rents are too high for wages that have not kept pace.
Zac Smith said he has seen his rent rise $500 in the past three years.
“We’re just pleading for action to stop the bleeding on this and to do something to help the working people of this city, because we need it,” said Smith.
Smith took part in a community workshop on the issue and said he is trying to raise his son in Santa Barbara without commuting to work.
He recalled growing up in Santa Barbara with rent in the $800 range.
Ana Arce is a policy advocate for CAUSE and said she just wants the conversation to be started by putting it on the council agenda.
“So that we have city workers, here so that we have teachers here, so that we have community here, to be able to say, like, this is the Santa Barbara we want to live and thrive in,” said Arce.
She said there could be a way to help tenants and property owners.
Many renters in Santa Barbara pay much more than 30 percent of their income to put a roof over their heads.
Summer Howatt who is a member of the Santa Barbara Tenants Union said there is a reason more landlords spoke during public comment.
“The numbers in the room don’t reflect the correct representation. A few tenant speakers pointed out that tenants can’t be here because they are at work and would like meetings to be at 5:30,” said Howatt.
She said the council received hundreds of tenant emails prior to the meeting.
Councilmembers discussed it as well, but were admonished by the city attorney not to discuss specifics since the issue was only to put the item on an upcoming agenda.
The council ended up voting 4-to-3 to do just that.
Mayor Randy Rowse, Eric Friedman and Mike Jordon voted no.
Estela Montaño said she was grateful the item passed. She is a longtime renter and is concerned about the cost of living.
“I see this as a path towards something beautiful, eager to see rent stabilization pass,” said Montaño.
The vote directs the city staff to place a rent stabilization discussion on the agenda by the end of the year.
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