This November, California voters will be asked for the second time in as many years to overturn statewide restrictions on rent control in the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (“Costa Hawkins”). The following provides a summary of Proposition 21, named by its proponents as the Rent Affordability Act (“Prop. 21”), and its potential implications for residential landlords and tenants in California.

Prop. 10 and Costa-Hawkins

Its predecessor, Proposition 10, was rejected by nearly 60% of voters in 2018. It would have repealed Costa-Hawkins and allowed local governments to adopt rent control on any type of rental housing.  Costa-Hawkins, passed in 1995, allows local governments to enact and use rent control, except on (a) housing that was first occupied after February 1, 1995, and (b) certain classes of housing units, such as condominiums, townhouses, and single-family homes.  Landlords protected by Costa-Hawkins are currently allowed to increase rent to market rates when a tenant vacates a unit.

Prop. 21

If approved by voters, Prop. 21 would allow local governments to adopt rent control on housing units, except for (a) housing first occupied within the last fifteen (15) years and (b) units owned by natural persons who own no more than two (2) housing units with separate titles, such as single-family homes, condominiums, and certain duplexes, or subdivided interests, such as community apartment projects and stock cooperatives.  Prop. 21 would continue to allow local limits on annual rent increases to be more restrictive than the current statewide limit.  For vacancies where the previous tenant voluntarily vacated, abandoned or was lawfully evicted from a dwelling unit, Prop. 21 would impose, over the first three (3) years of a new tenancy, a combined rent increase cap of fifteen percent (15%) from the rental rate in effect for the immediately preceding tenancy.  This three-year rent increase cap would be in addition to any rent increases otherwise authorized by local law.

Tenant Protection Act of 2019

Prop. 21 follows the January 2020 roll-out of the Tenant Protection Act of 2019, which enacted a statewide rent control cap on annual rent increases of five percent (5%) plus the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index or ten percent (10%), whichever is lower.  The Tenant Protection Act of 2019, while considered to provide among the strongest state-implemented rent increase caps and renter protections in the country, does not affect vacancy decontrol, meaning landlords are currently able to set initial rents for new tenancies.  If passed, Prop. 21 would effectively foreclose the ability of landlords now protected by Costa-Hawkins to set initial rents at market rates if it would result in more than a fifteen percent (15%) increase from the prior tenant’s rental rate.

Support of Prop. 21

Proponents of Prop. 21 contend that the measure would provide more financial security for renters, reduce homelessness, and help alleviate a statewide housing affordability crisis.  The Prop. 21 campaign is sponsored by the Aids Healthcare Foundation, and notable supporters include Senator Bernie Sanders, House Representative Maxine Waters, the California Democratic Party, and the ACLU of southern California.

Opposition to Prop. 21

Opponents of Prop. 21 posit the proposed statutory changes would hurt renters by discouraging private sector builders from bringing more affordable housing units to market and diminish property values, resulting in less revenue for communities.  Californians for Responsible Housing is leading the campaign in opposition to this initiative, with other opponents including Governor Gavin Newsom, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association, California NAACP State Conference, and Congress of California Seniors.

Votes Needed to Pass

For Prop. 21 to pass and become state law, greater than fifty percent (50%) of the votes cast for this proposition must vote “yes”.

 

Authored by Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Attorney Michael Corbett.

The issues discussed in this update are not intended to be legal advice and no attorney-client relationship is established with the recipient.  Readers should consult with legal counsel before relying on any of the information contained herein.  Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP is a full service real estate law firm.  We specialize in land use, development and entitlement law.  We also provide a wide range of transactional services, including leasing, acquisitions and sales, formation of limited liability companies and other entities, lending/workout assistance, subdivision and condominium work.