With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Santa Ana Renters Are Trying To Get Rent Control On The Ballot
An apartment for rent in Central Los Angeles. (Matt Tinoco/LAist)
A new law capping rent increases in California has not stopped efforts to pass stricter forms of rent control in Southern California. Organizers in Santa Ana are now collecting signatures to get rent control on the November ballot.
The new state law, AB 1482, went into effect at the beginning of this year. It limits rent hikes in most buildings to around 8% per year.
Kayleigh Levitt with Tenants United Santa Ana said that’s not enough to prevent working class renters from being pushed out of the city.
“That kind of change that we're seeing is happening everywhere,” she said. “Even a smaller rent increase can do a lot of damage to a community.”
Sponsored message
Levitt is one of the organizers now trying to collect enough signatures to put rent control up for a vote in Santa Ana during the 2020 Presidential election. Their proposal would limit rent increases to 3% each year, or 80% of current inflation, whichever is less.
Organizers tried to get rent control on the ballot in Santa Ana back in 2018, but they failed to collect the required number of signatures (10% of the city’s registered voters). This time, they’ll need to collect even more to qualify, because voter registration has gone up in the city. They’re aiming for nearly 12,000 signatures by their July 20 deadline to qualify for the November ballot.
GO DEEPER:
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
