SANTA BARBARA, Calif.(KEYT) The Santa Barbara City Council welcomed public comments before introducing an updated ordinance amending the municipal code to establish "Residential Rent Stabilization and Residential Rental Registry Programs."
Most of the speakers urged the council not to exempt Section 8 housing, but Councilmember Meagan Harmon said that would inhibit more landlords from taking those vouchers.
Harmon said there are 1,518 people on the waiting list for a vouchers that closed in 2023.
She urged to council to pass the ordinance with the exemptions already discussed.
Councilmember Wendy Santamaria disagreed and could be the deciding vote.
Santamaria said there are usually landlords willing to take vouchers since there is less risk when the government is good for the rent.
The staff recommended adopting the updated ordinance to preserve affordable housing and protect tenant and landlord rights.
The staff also recommended the allocation of $500,000, from the Measure I Flexible Housing and Homelessness Fund, to support the implementation of both the Residential Rent Stabilization and Rental Registry.
Last week the council voted to remove some of the language from an earlier ordinance.
The so-called RSO is intended to cap annual rent increases to 3 percent or 60 percent of the Consumer Price Index if it is lower.
CPI is based on the current prices of consumer goods and services.
The city of Santa Barbara is under a rent freeze that is facing a legal challenge.
It would come to end at the first of the year when the RSO, if approved, would take affect.
There would also be a registry grace period.
Councilmember Kristen Sneddon said it has been in the works for 9 years and shared her feelings about being played by the delays.
She said it has come down to the one form of exemptions delaying the motions.
Sneddon said she is ready to pass an RSO today.
There are six meeting left in the term to do do.
She said each time is comes back there are adjusting and changes.
"Please I am imploring us not to gamble on peoples lives by not having this in place at all," said Sneddon.
Eric Friedman said the goal coasts have changed too many times.
Both Sneddon and Friedman are running for mayor.
He said to be here debating once again is not good governance.
He believes it will cost more for developers to borrow money to build if an RSO is in place.
Although he is opposed to the ordinance he is willing to participate.
Landlords and opponents have said this will discourage mom and pop landlords from creating new rental spaces and may lead to units being taken off the market.
Mayor Randy Rowse talked about the exposure to litigation, and confusion the proposal.
Rowse said it could interfere with other projects going forward.
The discussion is ongoing.
Your News Channel will have more on the council's decision tonight on the news.
Santa Barbara City Council on verge of approving Rent Stabilization Ordinance and Registry News Channel 3-12.
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