SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) People packed Tuesday's Santa Barbara City Council meeting to listen and comment on the possible development of a rent stabilization program.
City staff updated the council on a rent stabilization work program one day after Santa Barbara landlords filed a lawsuit challenging a temporary rent freeze.
Attorney Barry Cappello of Cappello & Noel is representing property owners.
During public comments, Cappello said he used to be the city's attorney. He suggested the city listen to their attorney and hire another to avoid more lawsuits.
Cappello said without an exception mechanism the freeze is unconstitutional.
If the city sets the freeze aside Cappello said they would happily drop the suit.
Other speakers pleaded with the county to address affordability.
Public comments followed a presentation by researchers who presented more than a dozen options.
City staff also told councilmembers they could choose to put a plan on a future ballot.
The discussion started at 5 p.m. to allow people interested to get here after work.
Mom & Pop landlord Nick Gonzales said blanket ordinances can have unintended consequences.
"Lets focus where we need to focus and that is in the lower and moderate income households and not give a policy that may give people with very high incomes a subsidy from someone with a very low income because that is the reality with a lot of the mom and pops," said Gonzales.
Tenant Rick Morse believes people can meet in the middle.
"I would like to see the city of Santa Barbara establish a registry that would create incentives for landlords to create long term tenancies, so they won't raise the rent or raise it at a nominal rate and be compensated in some way," said Morse.
Your News Channel will have reaction to any motions passed by the city council tonight.
Santa Barbara City Council to give staff direction on development of Rent Stabilization policy News Channel 3-12.
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