Pasadena Rent Control Advocates Spotlight Local Efforts Following Projected Defeat of Prop. 21

Disappointed but undeterred, Pasadena rent control advocates say they are now focusing their attention on a city charter amendment to expand local rent control authority following the apparent defeat of Prop. 21 in last week’s election.

The statewide ballot initiative, which would have expanded the authority of local governments to enact rent control on homes more than 15 years old, was failing by about 20 percent of the vote, according to the most recent data from the California Secretary of State. The election results are not expected to be certified until December.

Current law, enacted through the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, prohibits rent control on any homes first occupied after Feb. 1, 1995.

It was reminiscent of a similar statewide ballot initiative that was also defeated by roughly the same margin in 2018, said former Pasadena City Council candidate and rent control advocate Ryan Bell.

“It’s disappointing,” he said. It was similar to the results a couple of years ago on Prop. 10.”

Confusing messaging regarding the ballot measure may have contributed to its downfall, Bell said.

“It was a little confusing because Prop. 21 would not have instituted rent control anywhere. It would have simply allowed for cities to implement rent control, if they want to, on a larger number of people,” he said. “It would have expanded the parameters.”

But the setback at the ballot box isn’t keeping rent control advocates from pressing forward.

“We still have to work within the limitations of Costa Hawkins, of course, since Prop. 21 didn’t pass, but we can still work on, and we do plan to work on a proposition for 2022, a [city] charter amendment here in Pasadena that would implement rent control within the limits of the state law,” according to Bell. “We’re currently in the planning stages of having a ballot initiative campaign.”

The COVID-19 pandemic and its accompanying economic strife have only further highlighted the need for action, Bell said.

“When you start to see mass evictions once these moratoria expire at the beginning of the next year, once you start seeing the catastrophe that awaits us if nothing else changes, then I think you could see movement on something to protect tenants when the political will wasn’t there before,” he said.

It was too soon to say whether the election of City Councilmember Victor Gordo as Pasadena’s new mayor, replacing Mayor Terry Tornkek, would have an impact on the prospects for rent control in the city, Bell said.

“We haven’t talked to Mayor-Elect Gordo about this initiative recently. In the past, neither Mr. Gordo nor Mr. Tornek has been open to the idea of rent control, so I don’t know that it matters one way or the other,” he said. “But that could change. Things have changed very quickly on the policing [oversight] front, so things can change.”

Local rent control advocate Allison Henry said she also believed a lack of information harmed Prop. 21’s chances, with misleading or inaccurate political advertising contributing to the confusion.

“People misunderstand rent control, or even what Prop. 21 was,” Henry said. “It wasn’t bringing in rent control. It simply allowed cities to expand rent control.”

“And then how is California going to deal with the current housing crisis? Right? And then the impending one with all the evictions?”

Local support for rent control legislation has seen stronger support locally than at the state level, Henry said.

“Pasadena, as a city, passed Prop 10. So that’s the sort of analysis I think we’re going to be doing in our local communities, to see where the current base and support is for rent control.”

“I think all communities are trying to go for this again,” she added. “Tenants are only getting more organized in the San Gabriel Valley.”