Proposition 10 is another approach to California’s housing crisis. Although the state has 12 % of the nation’s population, we have 22% of the nation’s homeless. Rents for homes and apartments are skyrocketing by double digits in every sector of the state. Because home sale prices have also soared by 40% over the past year, more and more families now rent since saving down payments cannot keep up with the requirements. Sixteen percent of our population pays 50% or more for housing leaving little for other costs, nothing for savings.
The costs add to transportation nightmares with poorer air quality as people are living farther from their jobs to find more affordable housing. City workers– police, fire fighters, teachers–rarely live where they work.
This proposition would do two things. It would abolish the existing Costa-Hawkins law that outlawed rent control on buildings constructed after the late 1970. Second, it would permit cities to create rent control laws that suited their populations. Proposition 10 in no way mandates rent control but does permit it.
There are and always have been negative impacts from rent control. Poor maintenance and upkeep have too often accompanied landlords’ decisions to force people out to raise rents on new tenants. A slowdown in new construction that cannot charge the highest market rates is another. Some of that can be regulated and enforced for the good.
Other housing measures such as the propositions also on this ballot may help, but building affordable housing is slow, meets community resistance on siting. Subsidized housing doesn’t always meet the needs of middle income working families not being poor enough for subsidized housing. not wealthy enough for market rate housing.
Will this measure have some of the unintended consequences of poor sustainability? Probably. But because it is up to local jurisdictions and public policy that must have public input, we can learn from past errors how to do this better. With these reservations in mind, communities may make wiser decision on rent control. It is clear we can no longer wait for other solutions. This is a good step for our working families.
The costs add to transportation nightmares with poorer air quality as people are living farther from their jobs to find more affordable housing. City workers– police, fire fighters, teachers–rarely live where they work.
This proposition would do two things. It would abolish the existing Costa-Hawkins law that outlawed rent control on buildings constructed after the late 1970. Second, it would permit cities to create rent control laws that suited their populations. Proposition 10 in no way mandates rent control but does permit it.
There are and always have been negative impacts from rent control. Poor maintenance and upkeep have too often accompanied landlords’ decisions to force people out to raise rents on new tenants. A slowdown in new construction that cannot charge the highest market rates is another. Some of that can be regulated and enforced for the good.
Other housing measures such as the propositions also on this ballot may help, but building affordable housing is slow, meets community resistance on siting. Subsidized housing doesn’t always meet the needs of middle income working families not being poor enough for subsidized housing. not wealthy enough for market rate housing.
Will this measure have some of the unintended consequences of poor sustainability? Probably. But because it is up to local jurisdictions and public policy that must have public input, we can learn from past errors how to do this better. With these reservations in mind, communities may make wiser decision on rent control. It is clear we can no longer wait for other solutions. This is a good step for our working families.
RSS Feed
