Curbed SF: Ballot measure would expand rent control across California

A proposed new ballot measure would repeal a state law that prevents California cities from applying rent control to newly constructed buildings, giving communities the power to create new rent controlled units for the first time in over 20 years. The Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), a community group that describes itself as a union for renters, filed paperwork for the ballot measure on Monday, dubbing it the Affordable Housing Act. Under present state law, no housing built after the passage of the 1995 Costa-Hawkins Act may be subject to rent control. Older buildings may “reset” rents as soon as units are vacant and looking for new tenants, making rent control stock a constantly dwindling and non-renewable resource.