A measure to introduce rent control and expand tenant protections in Redwood City lagged behind the needed majority in early results on election night.
Measure E has garnered about 44% approval based on early counts that included all vote center ballots as well as vote-by-mail ballots received in the mail or returned to vote centers and drop boxes by Friday.
Called the “Redwood City Fair and Affordable Housing Ordinance,” the measure started as a grassroots initiative that gathered enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot. When the City Council decided to place it on the ballot, most councilmembers criticized some of the measure’s provisions.
The measure proposed establishing an annual rent increase cap of 60% of the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index, or CPI. Rent stabilization would apply to rental units in the city built before 1995 in accordance with the state Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act that limits the scope of local rent control that exempts single-family homes and condominiums from rent control.
It also proposed greater tenant protections on just causes for eviction, right to return, relocation assistance and anti-harassment protections. It adds additional protections for students, educators, older people, disabled or terminally ill tenants.
While the proposed rent caps are limited to certain types of units, the tenant protection provisions in the measure would apply to all rental units in Redwood City.
Several councilmembers took issue with Measure E. A supplemental report on the fiscal and economic implications of the measure found that the city would incur significant costs to implement the measure and that it could discourage housing growth, place significant burdens on landlords and cause financial strain on deed-restricted affordable housing.
Post-Election Day results will be released before 4:30 p.m. this Thursday, Friday and additional days the following week. The tallies have yet to include ballots received after the Friday before Election Day.
