Rent Control = Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz rents are skyrocketing and evictions multiplying. Budgets and dreams are busting as households are forced to spend 50% or more of their incomes on housing. Ever resourceful, Santa Cruzans are working 2 and 3 jobs, doubling-up with family, downsizing, and even living in their vehicles or turning to emergency shelters in the hope of staying near work and in the communities they've long called home. We're talking about teachers, nurses, the elderly and disabled on fixed incomes, veterans, recent graduates, grocers, artists, dry cleaners, bank tellers, civil servants, and young families. Generations of support systems are being torn apart and students are losing their teachers and fellow classmates. In escalating numbers, we are being displaced.

Homeowners and rental property owners are at least protected by fixed-rate mortgage options, mortgage interest deduction, "Mediterranean climate", Proposition 13 property tax mitigation, and increased equity as property values jump to epic highs. Renters, on the other hand, lack predictable housing expenses. Landlords can increase rents by any amount as often as desired. And, landlords are free to evict any tenant for any reason or no reason at any time with only 60 days notice. No one disputes property owners' rights to earn a FAIR profit on the risks and expenses they assume as landlords. Rent Control = Santa Cruz seeks simply to ensure that our hometown continues to be a place that families of ALL socio-economic backgrounds can call home.


Renters, community leaders and their allies throughout California are searching for relief locally, regionally and nationwide. There are numerous California State laws that currently limit what can be done in the near term. The following four options however, taken together, can stabilize housing costs for renters without unduly limiting landlords' fortunes.

It is very important to note that these rent stabilization measures will only apply to multi-unit complexes built after 1995. They will not apply to single-family homes or to condos.

1) Predictable rent increases for existing tenants (with vacancy decontrol) tied to the cost of living. Once a tenant vacates a property the property owner is free to raise the rent to market rate or any level they choose for the next tenant.

2) Just cause eviction. Just cause evictions ensure that landlords can't simply evict renters (as they can now) solely to raise the rent.

3) Relocation benefits to cover moving costs when a lawful eviction comes at no fault of the vacating tenant.

4) A temporary moratorium on rent increases until the above three policies are in place to prevent further exorbitant rent increases or unwarranted evictions.