Oakland OKs proposal to pause rent increases
The Oakland City Council voted unanimously early Wednesday to impose a controversial 90-day moratorium on rent increases, during a meeting that lasted past midnight.HT: Curbed SF
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The emergency ordinance, brought by Council President Lynette Gibson McElhaney, comes at a time when 1 in 4 Oakland residents is in danger of getting displaced, according to Mayor Libby Schaaf. It stems from a draft resolution submitted by housing activists on March 10.
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The original version asked for a temporary prohibition on no-cause evictions and rent increases that aren’t tied to the annual consumer price index. McElhaney’s modified ordinance did not include the freeze on evictions.
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The proposal, which drew more than 200 speakers to City Hall, elicited painful stories from longtime residents who stand to lose their homes. It also drew vigorous opposition from landlords. Many of them called it a feel-good fix that would discourage them from paying for much-needed property improvements....MORE
