- Limiting rent increases to 3% or 60% of CPI (Consumer Price Index).
- Charging you up to $250 per unit to fund the city’s rent control program.
- Penalizing you for an owner-move-in or renovating your unit at a minimum of $10,000 per tenant.
- Narrowing the allowable reasons for reclaiming possession of your property from a renter.
- Mandating that you roll rents back to January 2023 or earlier.
The Concord City Council put off a final decision on rent control and “just cause” eviction proposals during its Sept. 5 City Council meeting. Instead, the council extended the discussion to its Sept. 12 session, deferring a policy decision to avoid deliberations past midnight.
Public testimony spanned nearly six hours, with comments from all sides of the issue.
Housing providers emphasized that existing law, namely the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 enacted through AB 1482, effectively regulates rent increases below the statewide cap. They further cited the city's rent registry data, which confirms that Concord's housing providers are following the law.
In addition, housing providers noted that of Concord's 18,000 rental units, only 50 instances of owner-initiated tenancy changes were recorded in 2022. Of these, 44 were prompted by rent non-payment.
CAA’s review of the city’s report suggests that neither rents nor evictions are at crisis levels, contrary to claims by rent control advocates. Moreover, the city's own research finds that rental rates in Concord are “considered to be accessible to low to moderate income households and is generally accessible to working families.”
Concord housing providers are urged to attend the Sept. 12 meeting and continue to press the City Council to heed its own research and data, rather than bowing to scare tactics deployed by proponents of draconian laws that would hurt the city’s housing stock.
If you or someone you know have a property in the City of Concord, reach out to the City Council at [email protected].
For direct communication with City Council members, request a meeting or phone call via this link.
