Rent limit discussion comes to the Santa Barbara City Council to help with housing costs

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Some Santa Barbara leaders are looking at ways to limit rent increases to help struggling tenants.

Outgoing Santa Barbara mayor Cathy Murillo and councilmember Oscar Gutierrez will lead a discussion Tuesday about having a citywide rent limit of two percent. Currently, in many cases under California law, the rent limit is five percent a year.

Gutierrez told NewsChannel 3-12 that his constituents want rent control so he is backing the plan.

Both say the cost of housing in Santa Barbara is a hardship on residents and consumes a very large portion of their income each month.

The issue comes before the Santa Barbara City Council in one of its final sessions with Murillo as mayor. Her last day is Jan. 11, 2022. Her successor is the recently-elected Randy Rowse, a local business owner and former councilmember.

It is unlikely the plan would be approved before Murillo's term as mayor comes to an end.