Property Owners In Concord Suspend Rent Control and Just Cause Ordinance with Referendum Filing

The recent decision by the Concord City Council to suspend the implementation of the rent control and just cause for eviction ordinance has sparked a flurry of activity within the community. Adopted on March 5, 2024, this ordinance was slated to come into effect on April 4, 2024.

However, just three days after its adoption, the City Clerk received a proposed referendum petition from Concord resident Jo Sciaronni, signaling a potential roadblock to the ordinance's enactment. This move indicates plans to gather signatures to place a referendum on the November ballot, allowing voters to have a say in the matter.

On March 14th, the Concord City Attorney took a crucial step in the process by approving the referendum application and issuing an impartial summary of the ordinance. With this approval, the petitioners now have a 30-day window to collect the required number of valid signatures to advance the referendum. The bar is set high, with 7,204 signatures from registered Concord voters needed for qualification. To ensure success, organizers are aiming to gather over 8,000 signatures, accounting for any potential invalidations during the verification process.

Should the petition garner the requisite support, the fate of the ordinance will rest in the hands of the Concord City Council. They will have the option to either repeal the ordinance outright or place it on the November ballot for voters to decide its fate. This decision underscores the importance of community engagement and democratic participation in shaping local policies that directly impact residents' lives.

The suspension of the ordinance has ignited debates among stakeholders, with proponents arguing for the necessity of rent control measures to combat the costs of rental housing and stop unjust evictions. Conversely, opponents raise concerns about the implications of forcing rental owners to subsidize all Concord renters and the unintended consequences that have devastated the rental industry in other cities that already have rent control on the books.  These unintended consequences include: devaluation of single-family homes and apartment buildings, deferred maintenance and blight of rental properties, decrease in new construction, increase in crime, negative impacts on local businesses, and loss of tax revenue affecting city services.

Amidst these debates, the referendum process offers an opportunity for voters to voice their opinions and shape the direction of housing policies in Concord. It underscores the significance of civic engagement and grassroots mobilization in driving meaningful change at the local level.

As the petitioning process unfolds, all eyes are on the efforts to secure the necessary signatures and the subsequent decision-making by the City Council. Regardless of the outcome, the discourse surrounding rent control and renter protections in Concord reflects broader societal discussions about property rights, equity, and governance. Ultimately, the path forward will be determined by the collective voice of the community and its commitment to fostering a fair and inclusive housing landscape for all residents.