Item 16 - Affirmation and/or Amendment of Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance

Home Browse Search

Ordinance No. NS - Page 1 of 20 ORDINANCE NO. NS-XXXX AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AMENDING ARTICLE XIX OF CHAPTER 8 OF THE SANTA ANA MUNICIPAL CODE PERTAINING TO THE RENT STABILIZATION AND JUST CAUSE EVICTION ORDINANCES TO REQUIRE TWO-THIRDS APPROVAL BY ALL MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR CERTAIN FUTURE AMENDMENTS THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The City Council of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines, and declares as follows: A. At the City Council meetings on September 21, 2021, and October 5, 2021, the City Council discussed the City of Santa Ana's (“Santa Ana” or “City”) ability to address rent increases on residential real property and in mobilehome parks wherein hundreds of City residents provided spoken and written comments about their experiences of landlords purporting tenant crimes without proof as justification for evictions, unjust rent increases without a proportional increase in the quality of housing provided, and various quality of life issues as residents, renters, and property owners in Santa Ana. B. On October 19, 2021, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. NS- 3009, known as the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (“RSO”) and Ordinance No. NS-3010, known as the Just Cause Eviction Ordinance (“JCEO”) appearing as Article X, Division 4 and Division 5 in the Santa Ana Municipal Code (“SAMC”). The RSO and JCEO were adopted to regulate rent increases and evictions in certain rental properties and mobilehome spaces in the City of Santa Ana. C. The findings in Ordinance No. NS-3009 and Ordinance No. NS-3010 articulate that significant rent increases and housing instability pose a threat to public health, safety and welfare, and a particular hardship for senior citizens, persons living on fixed incomes, and other vulnerable persons living in Santa Ana. These findings are still true and incorporated herein. D. Additionally, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2021-054, directing staff to: (1) Conduct further study of the additional regulatory framework and infrastructure necessary to implement residential rent stabilization, just cause eviction, and other protections for Santa Ana residents facing housing instability; and, (2) Include the creation and operation of a Rent Board or similar body, a rent registry, and the related costs thereof.