Proposition 33, a ballot measure that would drastically modify rent control laws in the state, will be on the California ballot in the upcoming election Nov. 5. The controversial proposal will provide cities with the ability to regulate and manage the rent increases in their area on properties they could not control before such as newer housing units and single-family homes.
If Proposition 33 were to pass, it would allow local city governments to place new limitations on the amount that landlords in their area would be able to hike up rent prices on their tenants. This would go against current state law, the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act of 1995, that restricts local governments and their ability to influence rent control on properties built after the act was passed, and on single-family homes.
Under the proposition, there would be “little effect on the state budget,” the League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan voter education group, says. Impact on local budgets “will depend on how many cities and counties pass rent control laws and what landlords do.”
Supporters of the proposition argue that with more authority to regulate the prices in their area, Prop 33 would give cities a necessary measure to protect their renters. Skyrocketing prices have been a worry for low-income renters and Prop 33 advocates claim that under the amendments of the prop, they would be able to stay in their homes and adjust their rent.
The League of Women Voters says that supporters believe that since “local voters will be able to decide on whether and how to control rents,” leaving autonomy to the cities will help lower prices and make housing more affordable, keeping Californians off the streets. Students and young people are a focal point in the case of proponents of the ballot measure.
However, opponents of the proposition argue that the prop, which has failed to pass twice before, does not directly address the true cause of housing insecurity in California. Adversaries argue that under Proposition 33, landlords would have a harder time maintaining their properties due to rent control which likely would lead to inferior housing quality.
According to the League of Women Voters, opponents of the ballot measure claim that “Prop 33 will increase costs to build housing, therefore making the state’s housing crisis worse.” The crucial development of new housing projects in California that would meet the high demands for housing in the state would be halted, thus prolonging the issue.
Overall, opponents believe that Proposition 33 would only help renters in the short term, as prices would inevitably rise later on despite the new rent control from cities that it would pass.
Ultimately, it will be up to California voters this November to decide how they want to move forward. Housing remains a key issue in the state and the proposition is yet another possible measure to find a solution for the future.
