Santa Barbara City Council Rent Stabilization Discussion Draws Overflow Crowd

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) Santa Barbara City Council is considering rent stabilization within the city limits.

But they have not come up with an ordinance, yet.

In October, Councilmembers Kristen Sneddon and Wendy Santamaria presented a memo requesting consideration of an ordinance.

City Administrator Kelly McAdoo proposed getting feedback instead on a proposed rent stabilization work plan that staff has been working on.

The issue has led to rallies and packed council meetings that pit renters against landlords.

Tuesday was no different.

The meeting agenda item started at 5 p.m. to allow 9-5 workers to attend.

It was standing room only, with dozens of people in an overflow room watching the meeting on television.

Some people want to see a compromise to help people who work in the city afford to live in the city.

Although no concrete decisions will be made this month renters and landlords shared their stories and signed up to publicly comment.

Trish Ainsworth has lived in Santa Barbara since the 1950s.

She said a grown child of her first landlord is now in control and has been raising her rent each year.

Like many renters she said she pays about $1,750 for her place a month, but only receives $2200 in social security.

"I am having trouble coming up with the money for my rent because my rent goes up every year five percent and I'm on Social Security, so, it is killing me," said Ainsworth.

Rick Lang is a landlord with several units but he is considering selling them.

"They think you are getting rich 60 percent of the rent goes to the mortgage company after that 15 percent goes to property taxes and you have to put money away for replacing roofs, driveways, replacing landscaping," said Lang, " All that money has to be put into reserves the value is in the building but there is no money in the rent."

Lang noticed prices go up when the city started talking about rent stabilization ideas.

Lang said more than half the money goes to the mortgage with the rest going to property taxes, repairs and other bills.

He said he is not getting rich.

Lang said there are always unintended consequences.

A city program could include a cap on rent increases and a rental registry.

Members of the nonprofit CAUSE sent spokespeople to the meeting from Ventura County.

Cause Associate Police Director Jennifer Hernandez said she would like to see a rent freeze until something final is done.

"We are asking council to act immediate interim measures a rent freeze and eviction moratorium that will last until the ordinance is completed and it is ready to be implemented," said Hernandez.

Councilmembers were asked for input on a path that will work.

Some supporters said the goal is to solve the affordability crisis.

Some critics said it would cost the city millions of dollars it doesn't have.

If the council wants to move forward, city staff would work to have an ordinance presented to the council for consideration by July 2026.

That's a lot of months of rent before anything is final.

Some speakers concerned about the high price of living in Santa Barbara said they have already waited for 7 years.

They said rents stabilization will be worth the wait.

Your News Channel will have more on the issue tonight on the news.