Oakland Voters To Decide On Rent Control
OAKLAND (KPIX 5) – Amid rising rents, the Oakland City Council unanimously approved a placing a measure on the November ballot that would limit rent hikes.
The "Renter Protection Act" would require landlords to petition for rent hikes above 10 percent a year, instead of tenants having to petition against them. The proposal also spells out strict standards under which landlords can evict tenants and would expand those rules to more homes.
The council also backed new limits on the amount property owners can charge their tenants for capital improvements to a building.
Longtime renters appealed to the council to take action on rising rents, saying they are being priced out under the current rules and need new protections. Opponents say new laws unfairly tie property owners' hands in a city that is now the fourth most expensive rental market in the nation.
Due to state law, rent control would not apply to buildings constructed after 1983.