Politicians in California are turning to rent control to help make cities more affordable for renters. Many Californian cities already have rent control measures but, thanks to a state law called The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, much of the state’s housing is exempt from them. A proposed bill, SB 466, was written to bring those exempt properties, which include single-family homes and buildings constructed after 1992, back into eligibility for local rent control.
SB 466 failed to get the votes needed to be passed onto the assembly so it looks like many landlords are safe for now. Industry groups like the California Apartment Association and the National Multifamily Housing Council were very vocal in their opposition of the bill. There will likely be more challenges to the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act to come, so landlords and the industry groups that support them would be wise to find alternatives to appease affordable housing advocates.