Santa Barbara City Councilmembers Santamaria and Sneddon want to create one of the most restrictive rent control ordinances in California. It imports the toughest rules from Berkeley and Santa Monica and adds new burdens that go even further. If this proposed ordinance moves forward, it will not only regulate rent, but it will also take control away from property owners and punish investment in our community.

Rent control may sound like a solution to rising rents, but in practice it hurts both property providers and tenants. When the government limits rent increases, property owners often can’t cover the rising costs of insurance, utilities, maintenance, and taxes. Over time, that means fewer improvements, less maintenance, and a decline in housing quality. Many small, local owners sell their properties, and large corporate investors step in, driving out community-based landlords who care about their tenants. Meanwhile, tenants under rent control rarely move, which freezes the market and makes it harder for new renters or young families to find available homes. The end result is less housing, lower quality, and higher rents for everyone outside the system, the opposite of what’s intended.

The proponents of rent control will say:

• This is “rent stabilization”.
• It is to keep greedy landlords from excessively hiking rents.
• Helps preserve the diversity and cultural vibrancy of Santa Barbara.
• Landlords can still receive steady and fair returns on their investments.