A broad-based coalition of community organizations and activists is championing a renter protection ballot initiative for the City of Santa Cruz on the November ballot. The initiative includes rent stabilization, eviction protections, and the formation of an elected “Rent Board” which will handle the regulation of rent prices and evictions. The rent control campaign kickoff will begin with a party at the Resource Center for Nonviolence on Sunday, February 11.

The rent control coalition is asking community members to pledge their time and money over the coming months, and to also commit to spending a few or more hours a month to gathering signatures and contacting voters. In order to achieve rent control in Santa Cruz, community members need to collect 8,000 signatures within 5 months, from February through June 2018, and then contact thousands of voters in order to turn out enough supporters in November 2018 for the initiative to win.

At the campaign kickoff, individuals will be trained in how to gather signatures to get the rent control initiative on the ballot, and then go out into the streets with everyone and start circulating petitions. Afterwards, the group will return to the Resource Center for Nonviolence to return petitions and join the after party.

Sunday, February 11: Rent Control Campaign Kickoff and Party

Read More: Rent Control Ballot Initiative Introduced in Santa Cruz

See Also: The Next Big Thing: A Rent Control/Rent Stabilization Ordinance in Santa Cruz