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Concord: Hold the Line on Tenant Protections
The California Apartment Association and local MAGA activists are demanding that city council dismantle Concord's tenant protections, starting with rental homes and townhouses.
MAGA activists have been foaming at the mouth ever since Concord passed basic protections for renters last year. At their behest, newly elected city council person Pablo Benavente requested a special meeting on tenant protections pertaining to rental homes and townhomes (condos). The discussion for Tuesday, February 4th, is on possibly exempting homes and townhomes from the tenant protection ordinances. Websites will differ on specifics, but it is estimated that a little under 40% of homes are rented, not occupied by their primary owner. That is an average, with some parts of Concord (such as neighborhoods adjacent to the Monument corridor) being significantly higher.
Under the ordinance as it stands, homes and townhomes are exempt from rental price controls. The rent cap in Concord is only on apartment units. The issue at play is the "just cause" portion of the ordinance. Tenants of rental homes and rental townhomes cannot be evicted without a reasonable and just cause. If such an eviction does take place, the owner is required to pay a stipend to the tenant occupants to cover the cost of moving. A landlord may evict tenants if the landlord or a direct family member needs the property for habitation, with the stipulation that the landlord or family member live in the property for 2 years. A landlord cannot move in short term as an excuse to evict someone, then move out to quickly put the unit back on the market. A tenant must be offered a 6-12 month lease as first option, and only then may be offered a shorter lease.
These are simple and basic tenant protections, in line with other ordinances being passed in the state of California. These ordinances are within the scope of state law which allows cities to pass tenant protections beyond those mandated by the state.
In an email from the California Apartment Association, owners of rental properties are asked to thank "newly elected Councilmember Pablo Benavente for making this request" and for "this change in [his] decision-making process". During the election, Benavente ran on his staunch support for tenant protections. In one of his first acts as council person, he has opened a discussion on reducing tenant protections in Concord.
The letter is supported by property investors from San Ramon, Benicia, San Mateo and elsewhere. Reflecting the economic reality that homes and condos in Concord are increasingly being purchased by corporate entities and investors, not by single families.
Rent caps do not apply to rental homes and townhomes, and yet the letter from the CCA asks property owners to demand that all rent caps be increased in favor of landlords. This is indicative of the CCA's goal of first breaking down rental protections on homes/townhomes/condos, then following up by pressuring council to revoke the protections on apartments.
Concord renters must show up to the council meeting and hold the line on tenant protections.
Feb 4th City Council meeting: 6:30 p.m.
Council Chamber at 1950 Parkside Drive, Concord
Or email city council: citycouncil [at] cityofconcord.org
Under the ordinance as it stands, homes and townhomes are exempt from rental price controls. The rent cap in Concord is only on apartment units. The issue at play is the "just cause" portion of the ordinance. Tenants of rental homes and rental townhomes cannot be evicted without a reasonable and just cause. If such an eviction does take place, the owner is required to pay a stipend to the tenant occupants to cover the cost of moving. A landlord may evict tenants if the landlord or a direct family member needs the property for habitation, with the stipulation that the landlord or family member live in the property for 2 years. A landlord cannot move in short term as an excuse to evict someone, then move out to quickly put the unit back on the market. A tenant must be offered a 6-12 month lease as first option, and only then may be offered a shorter lease.
These are simple and basic tenant protections, in line with other ordinances being passed in the state of California. These ordinances are within the scope of state law which allows cities to pass tenant protections beyond those mandated by the state.
In an email from the California Apartment Association, owners of rental properties are asked to thank "newly elected Councilmember Pablo Benavente for making this request" and for "this change in [his] decision-making process". During the election, Benavente ran on his staunch support for tenant protections. In one of his first acts as council person, he has opened a discussion on reducing tenant protections in Concord.
The letter is supported by property investors from San Ramon, Benicia, San Mateo and elsewhere. Reflecting the economic reality that homes and condos in Concord are increasingly being purchased by corporate entities and investors, not by single families.
Rent caps do not apply to rental homes and townhomes, and yet the letter from the CCA asks property owners to demand that all rent caps be increased in favor of landlords. This is indicative of the CCA's goal of first breaking down rental protections on homes/townhomes/condos, then following up by pressuring council to revoke the protections on apartments.
Concord renters must show up to the council meeting and hold the line on tenant protections.
Feb 4th City Council meeting: 6:30 p.m.
Council Chamber at 1950 Parkside Drive, Concord
Or email city council: citycouncil [at] cityofconcord.org
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