A proposal for “emergency orders” to protect people living in rental adopted a 3-2 vote on Wednesday after the Oceanside municipal council reached a compromise on some of the provisions.
One of the new prescriptions could increase rent increases to a maximum of 5% per year, or up to 8% per year in the case of “critical improvements in facilities”. Others could provide financial and legal aid to tenants, as well as another assistance.
Presented by the members of the Council Eric Joyce and Jimmy Figueroa, the plan attracted more than 70 speakers at the meeting on Wednesday. Many were long -standing residents by the sea who said the increase in rents, the low vacant posts and the uncertain future prevent them from a step from living in the street.
“It is a way of keeping people in their homes and giving them a certain breathing if something happens laterally,” said resident Tim Gordon, adding that his son and his two grandchildren live with him because they cannot afford their own place.
Owners and real estate agents have generally opposed the proposal. They said that the protection provided by state law was sufficient and that more regulations would slow the construction of new apartments, would add to the region’s housing crisis and make the eviction of bad tenants difficult.
“The owners were made to be the bad guys,” said Elizabeth West, who has a rental property in Oceanside. She said that she had to increase the rent to cover her own increase fees for elements such as maintenance and insurance, which recently increased by 50%.
“We understand the challenges of the housing facing this community,” said Taylor Thompson, vice-president of the government / public affairs of the North San Diego County Association of Realtors.
“The long -term solution is no more regulation of people who provide accommodation is to build more accommodation,” said Thompson. “The small owners are the fabric of the community. We need a balanced approach. ”
Mayor Esther Sanchez and the member of the Council Rick Robinson voted against the proposal, saying that this would not help tenants who have problems.
“None of that will help them, people who fear being expelled tomorrow or next week,” said Robinson. “We really don’t know what the problem is. We have a solution looking for a problem. “
Sanchez said that she was surprised to see the proposal on the agenda and that there was not enough information on the situation it addresses.
“Our housing service is overloaded and priority is homeless,” said Sanchez. “I cannot support this because it is not linked to the situation we have.”
The member of the Council Peter Weiss said that he would support the proposal if some of the requirements had been abandoned or reduced. In a compromise, a requirement for owners to pay certain tenants of two months of rent as “faultless” expulsion relocation costs has been reduced to one month and certain other provisions have been modified or eliminated.
Joyce and Figueroa said they had placed the problem on the agenda due to the many stories they heard from their voters on housing insecurity.
“It’s not just a question of housing, it’s about protecting … Our most vulnerable residents,” said Figueroa. “Oceanside families have trouble keeping their homes and staying in their neighborhood. The elderly feel it the most. ”
City employees will determine the details and write the orders that will be brought back to the municipal council for a final vote, probably later this year.
Originally published:
California Daily Newspapers
