Yes on Proposition 10!
Real Rent Control Now: Repeal Costa-Hawkins in 2018!
We need your help to win in November. Join the campaign here!
Have you ever wondered why some Oakland renters are protected by rent control while others are left to the whims of their landlord? Or why your friends and family around the Bay Area and California may have no protection from impossible rent increases at all? The answer: Costa-Hawkins. The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (CA Civil Code Section 1954.50) was passed in the state legislature in 1996 by the real estate lobby to prevent California cities from protecting their tenants against unlimited rent increases.
Under the Costa-Hawkins Act:
Join a statewide coalition of housing rights advocates including OTU to repeal Costa-Hawkins and give cities the right to protect tenants from the whims of the real estate market. Following the failure of a repeal bill in Sacramento, the only way to achieve real rent control in California will be Proposition 10 on the November 6, 2018 statewide ballot to repeal Costa-Hawkins and leave it to cities to decide whether, and how, to protect their residents from sky-rocketing rents.
Proposition 10 would:
For more information about Costa-Hawkins and why it's so important to renters, learn more here.
Read the full content of the proposed ballot measure here.
We need your help to win in November. Join the campaign here!
Have you ever wondered why some Oakland renters are protected by rent control while others are left to the whims of their landlord? Or why your friends and family around the Bay Area and California may have no protection from impossible rent increases at all? The answer: Costa-Hawkins. The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (CA Civil Code Section 1954.50) was passed in the state legislature in 1996 by the real estate lobby to prevent California cities from protecting their tenants against unlimited rent increases.
Under the Costa-Hawkins Act:
- Cities like Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco cannot expand rent control protections to units built after their original rent control ordinance was established (so, in Oakland only buildings built before 1983 can be protected).
- Even if a city establishes a new rent control ordinance (like Richmond did in 2016), the city cannot apply rent control to any building built after 1995.
- No city can apply rent control to rented single-family houses, or condominium units, a huge loophole.
- Rent-controlled units are subject to "vacancy de-control", meaning that every time a protected unit becomes vacant (including through eviction) the landlord can raise the rent for the next tenant as high as the market will allow.
Join a statewide coalition of housing rights advocates including OTU to repeal Costa-Hawkins and give cities the right to protect tenants from the whims of the real estate market. Following the failure of a repeal bill in Sacramento, the only way to achieve real rent control in California will be Proposition 10 on the November 6, 2018 statewide ballot to repeal Costa-Hawkins and leave it to cities to decide whether, and how, to protect their residents from sky-rocketing rents.
Proposition 10 would:
- Give cities the right to establish or expand local rent control programs, the way local governments and voters see fit.
- Pave the way for universal tenant protections by ending loophole exemptions for single-family and condominium units, and units in newer buildings.
- Increase the supply of affordable rentals by allowing cities to cap rent increases for all rental units, even between move-ins.
For more information about Costa-Hawkins and why it's so important to renters, learn more here.
Read the full content of the proposed ballot measure here.
Condo Conversion Reform
Oakland has a condominium conversion ordinance that controls how property owners can legally convert rental apartment units into for-sale condominium homes in Oakland.
The current ordinance was adopted in 1981 and is woefully out of date, overly complicated, easily abused, and leaves thousands of rental units at risk of conversion into condominiums.
Oakland Tenants Union advocates for major revisions to the ordinance in order to protect as many rental units as possible from being converted.
Oakland has a condominium conversion ordinance that controls how property owners can legally convert rental apartment units into for-sale condominium homes in Oakland.
The current ordinance was adopted in 1981 and is woefully out of date, overly complicated, easily abused, and leaves thousands of rental units at risk of conversion into condominiums.
Oakland Tenants Union advocates for major revisions to the ordinance in order to protect as many rental units as possible from being converted.
- Cover units in two, three, and four unit buildings that are currently exempt
- Extend protections currently available to designated "impact areas" to the whole city
- Strengthen requirements for new unit replacement of converted rental units
- Strengthen tenant protections and relocation provisions of the law
Seismic Retrofit Policy
The Oakland City Council is considering new legislation that would require seismic safety retrofits in thousands of "soft story" apartment buildings across the City.
Who will pay for these costs? Currently, the City is considering allowing landlords to pass along 70% of these costs to tenants.
Oakland Tenants Union advocates that seismic retrofit costs should not be charged to tenants. Why?
The Oakland City Council is considering new legislation that would require seismic safety retrofits in thousands of "soft story" apartment buildings across the City.
Who will pay for these costs? Currently, the City is considering allowing landlords to pass along 70% of these costs to tenants.
Oakland Tenants Union advocates that seismic retrofit costs should not be charged to tenants. Why?
- Landlords have a legal (and ethical) responsibility to deliver safe and habitable housing.
- Landlords receive all financial benefits of seismic retrofits (like tax deductions and lower insurance premiums)
- Tenants receive no financial benefits from seismic retrofits
Successful Campaigns
Universal Relocation Payments Ordinance
On February 5, 2018 the Oakland City Council expanded requirements for relocation payments to tenants who are subject to a "no fault" eviction from their rental unit, following sustained advocacy by OTU and housing rights allies. Under the new law, any tenant protected under the Just Cause for Eviction law must be compensated by the landlord in cases of "no fault" eviction including for "owner move-in" evictions. More here.
On February 5, 2018 the Oakland City Council expanded requirements for relocation payments to tenants who are subject to a "no fault" eviction from their rental unit, following sustained advocacy by OTU and housing rights allies. Under the new law, any tenant protected under the Just Cause for Eviction law must be compensated by the landlord in cases of "no fault" eviction including for "owner move-in" evictions. More here.
Protect Oakland Renters Ordinance (Measure JJ)
We passed Measure JJ with 75 percent of the vote on November 8, 2016. THANK YOU to everyone who pitched in to strengthen our renter protections, but our work is far from over!
Summary of Measure JJ key provisions and campaign information here.
We passed Measure JJ with 75 percent of the vote on November 8, 2016. THANK YOU to everyone who pitched in to strengthen our renter protections, but our work is far from over!
Summary of Measure JJ key provisions and campaign information here.