Concord City Council votes to loosen rent control restrictions after heated meeting
CONCORD, Calif. (KGO) -- Hundreds of people attended Tuesday night's city council meeting in Concord as rent control concerns were on the table.
Last year, the council put strict rent control measures in place. They loosened those restrictions on Tuesday but not before some tense moments.
"I don't want to hear anything or we're not going to continue this meeting," Concord Mayor Carlyn Obringer said.
Concord city officials responded to outbursts among the massive crowd. The meeting centered around whether to keep strict rent control measures in favor of tenants or loosen those measures in favor of owners, who have recently complained about the 3% max rent increase now in place.
"A 3% increase is nothing," landlord John Hemm said.
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"We already have rent control in the state of California and Concord should repeal its rent control ordinance," Joshua Howard of the California Apartment Association said.
Tenants fired back.
"Right now the housing crisis and escalating rents have been one of the big drivers of poverty in California," Greg Colley of the Multi-Faith Action Coalition said.
"Right now it's super hard to find affordable housing or available housing that's not super expensive," a tenant said.
"Do not take away the rent control policy and just cause that we just had 10 months ago," Jima Monson of the Contra Costa Immigrant Rights Alliance said.
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There was quite a bit of back and forth.
"I was advocating for 5% because I heard from many of the property owners in this room," Mayor Obringer said.
Councilmember Pablo Benavente suggested a maximum cap of 7%, but Councilmember Laura Hoffmeister asked that it be brought down to no greater than 5%.
In the end, the council voted to loosen the rent control restrictions from a 3% to a 5% max increase while addressing single-family homes along with condos.
"Just to repeat, it is a flat 5% cap and anyone who owns three or more single-family homes/condos, the just cause for eviction provisions will still apply, but we will exempt those who own two or fewer," Obringer said.
Groups representing tenants then made it known how they felt about the increase, holding a sign that said, "Don't betray Concord. Keep families housed."
