For the second time in recent years, Santa Ana residents hoping to put a rent control measure on the ballot failed to gather enough signatures.
The shortfall this year was wider than when advocates pushed for a similar idea in 2018, but organizers blamed that on coronavirus, not a lack of interest in the community.
“We didn’t want to risk the health and safety of our volunteers so we didn’t go door-to-door,” said Nate Greensides, a volunteer with Tenants United Santa Ana, a local group organizing the drive.
Had it not been for the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions calling for people to stay home, Greensides added, “We would have had enough signatures two months ago.”
Instead, the group turned in around 2,400 signatures to City Hall Monday afternoon, a fraction of the 10,909 valid signatures from registered voters needed to qualify for the November ballot. Two years ago the Tenants United group fell short by just some 500 signatures.
The Santa Ana City Council still can put the issue before voters, without an initiative, Greensides noted. Most council members, however, have not supported such a move.
Greensides also said city officials could take the pandemic into account and grant the group more time to collect signatures. He pointed to a lawsuit that won more time for an initiative dealing with plastic waste reduction. On July 2, a judge in Sacramento ordered the deadline for that Packaging Waste Reduction Regulations initiative to be extended from July 6 to Sept. 28 because the coronavirus-related government restrictions.
The Santa Ana rent control measure sought to cap rent increases at no more than 3% and limit the number of rent hikes to once a year. One provision would have required landlords to credit tenants any rent increases over 3% since November 2017. Another provision would have barred landlords from evicting teachers or students during the school year to bring in another tenant or to sell the property.
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July 28, 2020 at 09:17AM
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Santa Ana rent control measure fails to gather enough signatures during pandemic - OCRegister
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