Correspondence - Item 19 - Laserfiche WebLink

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March 03, 2026 Mayor Valerie Amezcua Santa Ana City Council Santa Ana City Hall 20 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701 RE: Agenda Item #19 – Second Reading and Adoption of an Ordinance Prohibiting Anti-Competitive Automated Rent Price-Fixing (Ordinance No. NS-3090) To The Honorable Mayor Amezcua and Members of the City Council, The Kennedy Commission (the Commission) is a broad-based coalition of residents and community organizations advocating for the production of homes affordable for families earning less than $30,000 annually in Orange County. Since 2001, we have successfully partnered with jurisdictions across the county to create housing and land-use policies that increase affordable housing opportunities for lower-income working families. The Commission writes in strong support of Agenda Item #19 and the adoption of Ordinance No. NS-3090 prohibiting anti-competitive automated rent price-fixing software within the City of Santa Ana. This ordinance represents an important and timely step toward protecting renters from unfair market practices that contribute to rising housing instability and displacement pressures. Santa Ana remains a predominantly renter community, with more than half of occupied housing units occupied by renters and a majority of those households experiencing housing cost burdens. As rental prices continue to outpace income growth, many working-class families face increasing difficulty maintaining stable housing. The use of algorithmic rent-setting software that relies on nonpublic competitor data to recommend rental pricing undermines fair market competition and contributes to artificially inflated rents, further exacerbating the City’s affordability crisis. We commend the City for recognizing that local action is necessary to safeguard residents while federal litigation and regulatory enforcement continue to evolve. While ongoing legal actions against companies utilizing these technologies may eventually establish broader protections, Santa Ana renters cannot be expected to wait for uncertain outcomes while rents continue to rise. By prohibiting the sale, licensing, and use of these algorithmic devices, the City establishes clear local protections that prioritize housing stability and tenant wellbeing. Importantly, this ordinance builds upon Santa Ana’s demonstrated leadership in advancing renter protections, including adoption of rent stabilization and just cause eviction policies. Together, these efforts reflect a comprehensive approach to addressing housing affordability and ensuring that technological tools are not used in ways that undermine community stability or worsen existing inequities in the rental market. For these reasons, the Kennedy Commission respectfully urges the City Council to adopt Ordinance No. NS-3090 at its second reading. Taking action to prevent anti-competitive rent-setting practices affirms the City’s commitment to protecting residents and promoting a fair and transparent housing market. 1