Should You Vote Yes on Proposition 21?
What is Proposition 21?
Proposition 21 is an initiative on the upcoming November ballot that aims to repeal the Costa Hawkins Act and expand local governments’ authority to enact rent control on residential property. This would ideally enable cities to be more proactive in counteracting the growing California housing crisis. Costa Hawkins Rental Housing Act was enacted in California in 1995 and serves three main purposes:
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It prohibits rent control on new construction and single-family homes/condos. Rent control is a government program that limits the amount a landlord can demand for leasing a home or for renewing a lease. Rent control laws are usually intended to keep living costs affordable for lower-income residents.
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It prohibits rent control on any apartments built after 1995 or after the year rent control was passed in a given city. Los Angeles only has rent control on units built before 1978.
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Finally, this act eliminates vacancy control which means landlords are allowed to increase rent prices to any amount that market rates allow. Even with no improvements, the landlord is permitted to double or triple the rent overnight for the next tenant moving in.
Costa Hawkins has caused the affordable housing stock in California to dramatically decrease. Roughly one in three renters in Los Angeles report spending more than half their income on housing, census data shows.
How Should You Vote?
Those that plan to vote yes on Proposition 21 believe it will preserve more affordable housing for lower income residents and allow for increased rent control on more types of properties.
On the contrary, those who oppose Proposition 21 believe that it will further reduce the amount of affordable housing because it will discourage any new construction. People that plan to vote no conclude that allowing for permanent price caps on rent will give the government too much power to induce extreme rent control.
More Resources.
If you have any further inquiries regarding Proposition 21 and how it could impact you, refer to the voting guides posted below to help you decide on how you should vote. Despite these unprecedented times we are in, or what your position on Proposition 21 may be, make sure to take advantage of your rights as an American citizen and vote!