Oceanside considers new protections for residents in rentals

A proposal for “urgency ordinances” to protect people living in rentals passed on a 3-2 vote Wednesday after the Oceanside City Council reached a compromise on some of the provisions.

One of the new ordinances could cap rent increases at a maximum of 5% annually, or up to 8% annually in the case of “critical facility improvements.” Others could provide financial and legal help to renters, along with other assistance.

Brought forward by Councilmembers Eric Joyce and Jimmy Figueroa, the plan drew more than 70 speakers at Wednesday’s meeting. Many were long-time Oceanside residents who said rising rents, low vacancies and uncertain futures keep them one step away from living on the streets.

“This is a way to keep people in their houses and give them some breathing room if something does go sideways,” said resident Tim Gordon, adding that his son and two grandchildren live with him because they can’t afford a place of their own.

Landlords and real estate agents generally opposed the proposal. They said the protection provided by state law is sufficient and that more regulations would slow the construction of new apartments, add to the region’s housing crisis and make it difficult to evict bad tenants.

“Landlords have been made out to be the bad guys,” said Elizabeth West, who owns rental property in Oceanside. She said she has to raise the rent to cover her own rising costs for things such as maintenance and insurance, which recently went up by 50%.

“We understand the housing challenges facing this community,” said Taylor Thompson, vice president of government/public affairs for the North San Diego County Association of Realtors.

“The long-term solution isn’t more regulation of the people who provide housing, it’s building more housing,” Thompson said. “Small landlords are the fabric of the community. We need a balanced approach.”

Mayor Esther Sanchez and Councilmember Rick Robinson voted against the proposal, saying it would not help the renters who have trouble.

“Nothing in this is going to help them, the people who are worried about getting evicted tomorrow or next week,” Robinson said. “We really don’t know what the problem is. We have a solution looking for a problem.”

Sanchez said she was surprised to see the proposal on the agenda and that there was not enough information about the situation it addresses.

“Our housing department is overburdened and the priority is homelessness,” Sanchez said. “I can’t support this because this is not related to the situation we have.”

Councilmember Peter Weiss said he would support the proposal if some of the requirements were dropped or reduced. In a compromise, a requirement for landlords to pay some tenants two months’ rent as relocation costs in “no fault” evictions was reduced to one month and some other provisions were changed or eliminated.

Joyce and Figueroa said they placed the issue on the agenda because of the many stories they’ve heard from their constituents about housing insecurity.

“This is not just about housing, it is about protecting … our most vulnerable residents,” Figueroa said. “Families in Oceanside are struggling  …  to keep their homes and stay in their neighborhoods. Seniors feel it most.”

City staffers will work out details and draft the ordinances to be brought back to the City Council for a final vote, probably later this year.