SAN PABLO — When it comes to housing insecurity in San Pablo, more education on existing tenant protection laws, not stronger rent control, are what residents need, according to city leadership.
Having been flooded with emails from renters and affordable housing advocates as well as property owners and realtors, San Pablo councilmembers held a special meeting Tuesday to receive an overview of the city’s current housing regulations and the potential impacts of adopting a rent stabilization policy.
The city currently plans to explore rental regulations as part of its 2025-2027 priority work plan, including establishing a temporary housing fund and relocation fund for those needing assistance after losing their home at no fault of their own, landlord-tenant mediation services, and codifying state just-cause-eviction laws into city code.
But advocates, many with the group Rising Juntos, implored councilmembers to more quickly adopt stronger policies like rent control requirements to combat rent hikes and anti-harassment and just-cause-eviction policies that prevent landlords from forcing tenants out.
Speakers with Rising Juntos told councilmembers about having their rents hiked more than 10% in a single year, their landlords refusing to make repairs, receiving harassing text messages meant to intimidate them out of their homes and being evicted to allow the property owner to move back in, only to see the property listed at a higher rate.
“At this moment, rent stability is safety. The fastest way to keep people housed and off the streets is to stabilize rents and stop excessive rent hikes,” read a press release from Rising Juntos and community advocacy group Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment Action.
Alternatively, Realtors and San Pablo property owners cautioned the city from adopting what they said were burdensome and excessive requirements that could potentially lead to a slow-down of development, reduce motivations for landlords to make voluntary improvements to their properties and harm mom-and-pop property owners.
Many also noted existing California law already makes it illegal for a landlord to neglect repairs, force a tenant out of their home without just cause or raise rents over 10% annually.
City Manager Matt Rodriguez said the city does not currently have the funds to subsidize a renter protection program that would provide regulation oversight. Instead, Rodriguez suggested that the council reaffirm the its focus on housing regulations in the current work plan and direct staff to work with local housing groups and experts on enhancing education around existing laws.
Mayor Arturo Cruz, Vice Mayor Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado and Councilmember Rita Xavier voted in support of staff’s recommendation.
Xavier said she had concerns that rent stabilization policies could exacerbate homelessness. Cruz, a long-time renter until just recently, said people need to learn to live within their means so they can buy a home and live more comfortably.
Pabon-Alvarado shared doubt additional protections would actually help residents given that many of the issues raised during the meeting are already illegal under state law. Instead, she said she puts her trust in current city leadership and the existing work plan to bring some relief to residents.
“I myself appreciate that we’re going to prioritize the ideas that we came up with,” Pabon-Alvarado said. “Out of this, I know there will be those protections our community is looking for.”
Councilmember Abel Pineda, the lone no vote, said he also supported staff’s proposal but felt the city could do more for its renters. He argued the city could add legal language to its code that protected tenants without having to immediately fund an oversight program.
“This is something of great concern, of great importance, and I think we need to act. We need to do better by our residents and we need to stand by them,” Pineda said.
Two protections Pineda advocated for were right-to-return provisions that require a landlord to welcome back a tenant after completing major remodels, repairs or rebuilds, and a policy that would allow tenants to seek out a new roommate if one left without triggering the drafting of a new lease. Both the tenant and landlord would have to agree on the new roommate.
The roommate replacement proposal was shot down by Pabon-Alvarado, who said the government shouldn’t be getting in between contracts.
“It’s too much. It’s almost like we’re the big brother. As the government, I don’t want to be the big brother, enough is enough,” Pabon-Alvarado said.
Ultimately, Rodriguez said some of the ideas raised by Pineda and advocates could come back to the council for consideration as part of the existing work plan discussion on just-cause evictions.