Join REALTORS® and Property Owners in Fight Against Misguided Rental Housing Ordinance!
The City of Chula Vista is in the process of developing far-reaching evictions regulations. Thanks to vocal opposition from REALTORS®, housing providers and concerned neighbors, on January 31, the Chula Vista Housing Advisory Commission chose not to recommend the proposal for consideration by the Chula Vista City Council and asked that staff continue work with concerned stakeholders. A summary of the key provisions is below.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: This proposal is expected to return to the Housing Advisory Council as early as March 3 and to the Chula Vista City Council on March 15.
This ordinance will leave housing providers vulnerable to lawsuits and establish substantial new penalties and relocation assistance requirements that will drive independent “mom-and-pop” housing providers out of business.
- Chris Anderson, 2022 SDAR President
KEY PROVISIONS
Of particular concern, provisions of the proposal would establish the following:
- Criminal and civil fines of between $1,000 to $5,000 per incident, per day for violating new anti-harassment rules;
- New definitions for substantial remodel, harassment and retaliatory behavior;
- Relocation assistance of 2 months for substantial remodel using the HUD Small Area Fair Market rent amount; and
- A 365-day notice requirement for elderly and disabled tenants (120 for all others) and 2 months relocation assistance when removing the unit from the rental market.
Review the complete draft proposal - CLICK HERE.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
We need your help! This proposal will return at some point in March. We need REALTORS® and housing providers to plan to join us at City Hall to advocate for sensible housing policies that won’t force independent, mom-and-pop providers out of business! Be on the lookout for additional information and contact Ryan Maxson with questions at: rmaxson@sdar.com.
KEY ISSUES & CONCERNS
- The City of Chula Vista is rushing to draft an ordinance which, according to City staff, is based off allegations against only two housing providers of harassment and of removing their rental properties from the market falsely claiming the intent to substantially renovate. Their actions are the subject of an ongoing lawsuit. It's important to note that, if found to be true, these allegations are already not allowed under existing law!
- The ordinance will leave housing providers vulnerable to lawsuits and establish substantial new penalties and relocation assistance requirements that will drive independent “mom-and-pop” housing providers out of business. REITs and well-financed property management firms stand to capitalize as our local, independent housing providers go out of business and the community risks encountering significant blight due to the disincentive for renovations.
- This is an unnecessary and one-sided ordinance that will create even more division between tenants and housing providers. Existing law already provides significant protections for tenants and the actions used to justify this ordinance – if found true - are already unlawful.
- The ordinance will protect nuisance tenants at the expense of renting families, preventing housing providers from evicting problematic residents.
