Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act

“Every time a tenant moves out, the landlords can raise the rent or whatever they want,” Berkeley’s Rent Stabilization Board chair Leah Simon-Weisberg said. “Ever since then, it just goes up and up.”

UC Berkeley has decided to proceed with the demolition of 1921 Walnut St., a rent-controlled apartment in Downtown Berkeley, in order to build transfer student housing.

As the tenants face challenges with paying rent amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Californians will be voting on Proposition 21, a measure that would allow local governments to expand rent control and limit price hikes between tenants.

With the extreme housing shortage in the Bay Area, Berkeley’s rent control is not enough to make the city’s housing affordable.

One need look no further than the town of Paradise, which virtually disappeared from the map a year ago after being in the direct path of the Carr Fire. As hundreds of units were lost over the course of several fateful days, the already tight and expensive housing market was further aggravated by the drop in the number of available units that those displaced can afford.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s October declaration of a state of emergency has drawn attention to certain protections imposed by a California law preventing businesses from unfairly raising prices during times of crisis.

California is in a serious housing crisis — and yet, California voters failed to pass Proposition 10 to repeal Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act and allow for much needed rent control.

Berkeley residents had a chance to vote on seven local measures — three Alameda County measures, four city of Berkeley measures — on their November ballots. All passed as of press time about 2 a.m.

In the race for Berkeley’s Rent Stabilization Board, the Community Power Slate — which includes James Chang, Paola Laverde, John Selawsky, María Poblet and Soli Alpert — won the available seats as of press time at 2 a.m.

Proposition 1 authorizes $4 billion in general obligation bonds to fund affordable housing for veterans, working families, seniors, people with disabilities and homeless residents. The measure does not increase taxes, but California would have to repay about $170 million annually for the next 35 years.