East Bay DSA Expresses Strong Support for AB 1506
Co-chair Mary Virginia Watson, on behalf of the East Bay DSA Local Council, sent a letter today to California State Assemblymember David Chiu expressing strong support for Assembly Bill 1506 to repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. Assemblymember Chiu represents California's District 17 and is the chair of the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee.
In the letter, Watson writes
Costa Hawkins has been a disaster for California renters. Passed in 1995, Costa Hawkins ties the hands of cities that want to protect tenants from excessive rents and displacement. Costa Hawkins prohibits rent control on certain properties and bans "vacancy control." As a result, rent increases are completely unregulated for a growing number of tenants in California. Meanwhile, vacancy decontrol incentivizes landlords to drive out long-term tenants to take advantage of unlimited rents after a vacancy.
Assemblymember Chiu is one of three members of the California Assembly to introduce the bill, along with assemblymembers Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) and Rob Bonta (D-Oakland).