San Francisco Mayor London Breed is all in for rent control expansion.
The candidate for re-election said she would sign an ordinance to control rents for 16,000 additional apartments built before 1994, rather than the current cutoff of 1979, to go into effect if voters pass the Proposition 33 statewide rent control measure, the San Francisco Standard reported.
Last week, the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed the rent control bill, authored by President Aaron Peskin, on its second reading. Peskin is also running for mayor.
The San Francisco rent control expansion can’t go into effect unless the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, a 1995 state law that sets limits on how cities can control rents, is repealed by voters.
And it wouldn’t go into effect unless the mayor signs the law if Prop. 33 holds sway in November.
Breed, seen as a strong YIMBY ally, said she supports rent control laws as long as they’re implemented in a way that doesn’t discourage housing production.
“As a lifelong renter, I know the importance rent control plays in keeping people stably housed in our city,” the mayor said in a statement. “I believe this legislation strikes that balance.”
Prop. 33 wouldn’t force cities and counties to regulate rents, but would allow them the option.
Backers and opponents of Prop. 33 both contend their position supports affordable housing. Proponents say the measure would allow for more affordable rents. Critics, including property owners across the state, say it would stymie construction of affordable homes.
Polls show that many voters are undecided on Prop. 33. Previous efforts to gut Costa-Hawkins through a state ballot failed.
Peskin initially proposed expanding rent control to all buildings built through November of this year.
But under pressure from housing activists, labor groups and developers, he scaled back the bill at the eleventh hour to a cut-off date in 1994.
Jane Natoli, the San Francisco organizing director at YIMBY Action, said the group is glad the board listened to its feedback and amended the legislation.
“This new approach will be more compatible with growing San Francisco’s housing supply,” Natoli said.
Breed said the amended rent control proposal is consistent with the city’s state-mandated plan to build 82,000 homes by 2031.
The plan will rezone the city to encourage more housing, but also calls for stronger tenant protections for buildings at least 25 years old, according to the Standard.
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— Dana Bartholomew