Santa Barbara City Council is laying the groundwork for a rent stabilization ordinance, and while there’s still a long path to final approval, councilmembers offered a road map for city staff to follow over the next several months, including direction to pursue a temporary moratorium on rent increases until the details of the new rent cap are worked out in full.
After a four-hour hearing on Tuesday, the City Council voted 4-3 in support of moving toward the temporary rent freeze. Councilmembers also offered specific comments to help guide planning staff as the city moved toward a finalized ordinance, a process that is expected to take place over the next six months.
Tuesday’s council hearing was just the latest chapter in the city’s move toward rent stabilization, a citywide cap on rent increases that housing advocates have been pushing for years. Now, with a majority of councilmembers expressing support for rent stabilization, it’s become clear that a local version will likely be passed within the next year.