Measure H Rent Control Supporters Declare Victory

Supporters of Pasadena’s rent control initiative Measure H declared victory Tuesday night after the day’s voting update reached 52.11% in favor of the measure and 47.89% against it. A majority of votes had been counted.

A massive victory for renters, the campaign was fueled by the Pasadena Tenants Union with dozens of community groups, unions, and hundreds of local volunteers. 

Measure H faced down opposition from some of the largest corporate landlords in the country, notably the California Apartment Association and the National and California Associations of Realtors. 

The opposition spent approximately $450,000 against the grassroots measure, which itself raised a respectable campaign budget of $350,000 from foundations, unions and $79,000 in small-dollar donations from around 700 individual donors.

Organizers said over 600 Measure H volunteers knocked on over 42,000 doors and called more than 29,000 voters as part of a large-scale, grassroots volunteer field operation focused on neighbor-to-neighbor voter outreach, as opposed to the opponent’s strategy of reaching voters mainly through television and online advertising. 

Measure H was placed on the ballot through 15,000 voter signatures, was written by local tenants, homeowners, and public interest attorneys experienced in tenant law, and is one of the only citizen’s initiatives in recent Pasadena history. 

“This is a win for every renter, and every resident in Pasadena who is tired of watching their longtime neighbors getting priced out. We’ve talked to thousands of people across the city who are ready to keep fighting displacement and unfair evictions with us,” said Measure H Field Director, Bee Rooney.