https://n2v.almanacnews.com/square/print/2018/07/18/state-democrats-support-repeal-of-costa-hawkins-rent-control-constraints


Town Square

State Democrats support repeal of Costa-Hawkins' rent control constraints

Original post made on Jul 18, 2018

The California Democratic Party on Sunday voted overwhelmingly to endorse Proposition 10, the statewide Affordable Housing Act, which would repeal the anti-rent-control Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act and return power to regulate rents to local communities.


Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, July 18, 2018, 10:42 AM

Comments

Posted by libertarian
a resident of another community
on Jul 18, 2018 at 1:21 pm

This is good - bring control of our communities down to the community level, not some state run thing.

This vote just allows communities greater flexibility to choose what is the right thing for THEIR COMMUNITIES. Sort of a state's rights issue - power down to the community.

It's the republican, conservative, small government thing to do.

Personally, I don't want the STATE telling us what to do in our COMMUNITIES!


Posted by Stan Gage
a resident of Portola Valley: Los Trancos Woods/Vista Verde
on Jul 18, 2018 at 2:21 pm

Wow! Did I read this correctly. Gavin Newsome and labor are AGAINST Prop 10. The sun must have come up in the west this morning. I seldom find myself in consensus with labor and left leaning politicians but opening the rent control doors to mostly populist local governing councils is the penultimate example of a good idea gone bad. When government at any level begins to try to tell businesses how to operate they almost always create havoc and market place disruption. In the end, the very people these do-gooders set out to help bear the brunt of the law of unintended consequences. Yes, we desperately need a better housing market in the bay area COUPLED with appropriately configured infrastructure which is not being addressed. Prop 10 will simply aggravate both of these issues.


Posted by libertarian
a resident of another community
on Jul 18, 2018 at 4:43 pm

"When government at any level begins to try to tell businesses how to operate..."

I'm confused. You are for repealing the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act because it's big government Sacramento control by state politicians. Correct?

Or do you prefer Costa-Hawkins and other big government laws stay on the books?

We need to take federal power down to the states (states rights) and state power down to the voter in our community.


Posted by MicroEconomics 1
a resident of Atherton: West of Alameda
on Jul 18, 2018 at 5:21 pm

Anyone who ever took a basic microeconomics class should know that placing non-market constraints on an economy will yield suboptimal results. If rents are forced below a market clearing price, there will be shortages in supply. Developers will not build housing in rent controlled locations. Rental unit owners will convert to condos and get out. It’s s total no-brainer if you look st the big picture. Sure, those renters who have rent controlled housing will be happy, and we’ll see the media post feel good stories about how some nice family gets to stay in their apartment. But in the big scheme rent control is a terrible idea.


Posted by Stan Gage
a resident of Portola Valley: Los Trancos Woods/Vista Verde
on Jul 18, 2018 at 5:44 pm

To libertarian:
If I read the article right and I think I did Proposition 10 would repeal the Costa Hawkins Act "endorse Proposition 10, the statewide Affordable Housing Act, which would repeal the anti-rent-control Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act and return power to regulate rents to local communities..."> This is kind of one of those double negative things. The repeal would actually open up the opportunity for more rent control not place any further limits on rent control. As usual with things politic if you can't do it right the first time see if you can confuse them into voting for something that's even worse. Read the first part of the article carefully. The Costa Hawkins act actually imposed limits on the range of renal properties which could be subject to rent control. Repeal would remove those limits, making almost all rental property subject to rent control.


Posted by libertarian
a resident of another community
on Jul 19, 2018 at 7:59 am

Repeal the big government law, let local communities run their lives. We know what our communities need, not Sacramento.

Compromise your small government principles on this, and before you know it, we're looking at the Tyranny of the Majority.


Posted by peninsula resident
a resident of another community
on Jul 19, 2018 at 11:22 am

Huh????

We have a housing shortage, yet state Democrats want to REDUCE the incentive to bring more housing online.

Housing shortages and high housing prices are NOT caused by landlords and homeowners. Its caused by poor government policies -- both statewide and local -- that constrain housing growth and encourage office buildings.


Posted by Hmmm
a resident of another community
on Jul 21, 2018 at 4:18 pm

Rent stabilization doesn't inhibit the production of more housing, so it's time to retire that myth. Libertarian - Thank you for your insightful comments.


Posted by Small gov
a resident of Atherton: other
on Jul 21, 2018 at 6:11 pm

All the republicans here are small gov types.

Until it's getting rid of this law.