Santa Barbara City Council votes to do a nexus study to analyze eviction assistance

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - When Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1482 into law last October it amended the landlord tenant law by creating statewide rent control and just cause eviction protections through 2030.

The Santa Barbara City Council listened to renters and landlords before voting to analyze displacement assistance that could enhance the law.

CAUSE's policy director Lucas Zucker said, "In an ideal world some cities offer 6-months relocation assistance, our city currently does 4-to-5."

The statewide law requires one month relocation assistance and caps annual rent hikes to between 5 and 10 percent.

Some landlords rushed to raise rents before the law took effect.

Property owner Syble Roberts said, "If the motive is to increase available rental housing, that is not what this will do."

City Attorney Ariel Calonne said Santa Barbara took action before the law that requires mandatory year-long leases. It was adopted after evictions at the Ivy Apartments.

"I think it is a tough issue. There are a lot of reasons to want to protect tenants and there are a lot of reason to be careful about what happens in our rapidly changing housing market." said Calonne.

The city can enhance the law, but can't weaken it.

The council will take up the issue when the month long study is complete.