Reyna Aguilar, a chef working in a restaurant in San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood, faced financial hardship when the COVID pandemic caused the restaurant to shut down. Despite government rent vouchers being offered, her landlord demanded cash instead. Aguilar, who had moved to the United States from Mexico to support her five children’s education, sought help from Catholic charities for rent vouchers, but was met with resistance from her landlord’s employees who harassed her and made her living situation unbearable. Eventually, Aguilar was forced to leave her rent-controlled apartment due to fear and sleeplessness caused by the hostile environment created by her landlord. This led her to live in her car near Dolores Park as she struggled to find affordable housing in the city.
The battle over California’s Costa-Hawkins law, which allows landlords to charge higher rent to new tenants once rent-controlled tenants vacate, has become a contentious issue. Large real estate companies, funded by pension funds of public employees, have raised millions of dollars to oppose rent control measures in the state. The repeal of this law, which exempts certain properties from rent control laws, is seen as a way to address the housing crisis in California, where renters make up a significant portion of the population. However, opponents argue that repealing the law could hinder the construction of affordable housing and worsen the housing crisis in the state.
The debate over rent control comes at a time when many Californians are facing homelessness and housing insecurity. With rising rents and stagnant wages, supporters of rent control believe that it is necessary to protect tenants from abusive landlords and ensure affordable housing for all. The November ballot measure to repeal Costa-Hawkins has once again sparked a heated debate between proponents of rent control and large real estate developers who argue that rent control measures could have negative consequences for the housing market. Ultimately, the outcome of this ballot measure will have far-reaching implications for the future of housing in California and the rights of tenants across the state.