OCEANSIDE — Two of the city’s leaders announced a new tenant protection proposal during a rain-soaked press conference at City Hall on Monday.
Deputy Mayor Eric Joyce and Councilman Jimmy Figueroa, both renters, announced their draft urgency ordinance to strengthen the city’s renters and expand on Assembly Bill 1482, also known as the Tenant Protection Act of 2019.
Joyce said there are three main differences, one being all renters will qualify for “no-fault” protections on day one of a lease; second, local rent stabilization of 5% for annual rent increases, although landlords can apply to the Housing Commission for yearly increases up to 8%; and third, all tenants evicted under “no-fault” are to be paid with two month’s rent for relocation and three months for seniors and the disabled. State law requires just one month.
However, homeowners are furiously pushing back saying the proposal amounts to more restrictions, will likely increase rents across the city, force those renting under market rate to sell their properties and put their renters in jeopardy and reduce the housing supply.
One of the central themes for Joyce and Figueroa, though, was increasing rents, homelessness and evictions leading to housing instability.
