SANTA CRUZ — With Measure M opponents claiming victory in this month’s city elections, the Santa Cruz City Council is set on Tuesday to consider an alternative, less restrictive version of rent control.

Even as the end of an expensive and months-long political battle between rent control and eviction rules supporters and their opponents is in view, both sides were gearing up last week for the latest face-off. The council will consider laws that would penalize, but not prevent, city landlords from setting large rent increases for their tenants. No measures that would halt a landlord from simply evicting their tenants, however, are proposed.

The council agenda item resumes after riotous public outcry stymied the resolution in September. Initially, the proposal was included in a package of housing-related suggestions, dubbed a “blueprint,” that was given general approval by the council in June. Under the proposed legislation, landlords raising rents more than 10 percent in one year or 15.5 percent in two consecutive years would be required to pay out two months worth of rent to tenants who choose not to accept the increase. Landlords would have 21 days from when their tenant gave notice to make the payment; tenants would have 60 days from when they were given notice of the rent hike to notify the landlord that the increase was too high. Landlords failing to comply with the law could face administrative city fines as high as $2,500 a day.

Seeking common ground

Current top City Council candidate vote-getter, Justin Cummings, is using Facebook to solicit support in urging city leaders to extend a temporary rent increase freeze and just-cause eviction rules, in place since February.

Cummings wrote that he hopes to begin work on a new housing policy that will “work for everyone,” upon taking his seat next month. Joining sitting Councilmembers Chris Krohn and Sandy Brown, and potential fellow top-three council candidate Drew Glover, the new seven-member city council would be comprised of a majority who have backed rent control measures.

“In the month between when the freeze expires (Dec 11) and when the new council takes action in January, that will be enough time to displace many renters from continued unfair evictions and skyrocketing rents,” Cummings wrote.

‘Not the war’

The Measure M rent-control ballot initiative’s most vocal local opponent, political action group Santa Cruz Together, solicited similar backing from within its email list, writing that opponents had “won the battle, but not the war.” Santa Cruz Together leaders are supporting the proposed large-rent increase ordinance, as well as the expiration of the city moratorium, which is due to end when election results are certified, likely at the council’s Dec. 11 meeting. The emergency ordinance bore many similarities to language contained in Measure M and was passed by the council in an effort to avoid having landlords raise rents or evict tenants ahead of the ballot vote.

“We need a large number of people to attend, and speak, to remind the Council that 64% of voters rejected these types of extreme provisions,” read an email blast from Santa Cruz Together, sent Tuesday.



The proposal is subject to the defeat of Measure M, a citizen-led rent control and just cause eviction initiative to amend the city charter. County Elections Clerk Gail Pellerin has given herself until Dec. 6 to certify election results countywide, but as of Tuesday, the measure was failing in a vote tally of 63 percent opposition and nearly 37 percent in support. More than 6,380 provisional ballots countywide cast on election day are scheduled to be counted in the coming week.

If you go

What: Santa Cruz City Council meetings.

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Santa Cruz City Council Chambers, 809 Center St.

At issue: Consider requiring landlord relocation assistance for tenants displaced due to large rent increases. Granny flat construction rule changes.