On one hand, the Sacramento Democrats want more affordable housing. On the other, they are trying to kill off the building of any more apartments or affordable housing. How do they do that? Easy. Just put a cap on rental properties!
“Current law caps annual rent increases at 5% plus the percentage change in the cost of living, or not greater than 10%, whichever is lower. Kalra’s bill would drop that cap to 2% plus the percentage change to the cost of living, or a maximum of 5%, whichever is lower. The legislation includes single-family homes, currently not protected by existing law. Also, the Jan. 1, 2030, sunset on the 2019 tenant protection law would be removed.
Kalra said his bill excludes new properties for the first 15 years of occupancy, meant to address worries over impacts to housing development.”
Literally, after limiting our water and energy, killing off our education sytem and the oil industry, now they are going after housing. Great way to depopulate California.
California lawmaker pulls controversial housing bill from consideration this year
Assembly Bill 1157, written by San Jose Democratic Assemblymember Ash Kalra, could return next year.
Alan Riquelmy, Courthousenews, 4/29/25 https://www.courthousenews.com/california-lawmaker-pulls-controversial-housing-bill-from-consideration-this-year/
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — A California bill that elicited calls of “the rent is too damn high” had the front door slammed shut on it Tuesday.
However, there’s still a chance Assembly Bill 1157 could proceed through a legislative side door, as it’s now a two-year bill and could receive consideration next year.
The bill, written by Assemblymember Ash Kalra, would have further capped allowable rent increases, included single-family homes in tenant protections and removed an existing sunset to the Tenant Protection Act of 2019.
While it passed the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee after a lengthy hearing last week, the San Jose Democrat on Tuesday pulled it from consideration this year. Its next step was the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
“I am grateful my colleagues on the Assembly Housing Committee acknowledged the pressing need to take action to support tenants statewide and stabilize the rental market,” Kalra said in a statement. “However, the robust debate coupled with subsequent discussions with Judiciary Committee members signaled more time is needed to work on the bill.”
Kalra said he fears an oncoming economic downturn, with Californians facing a dire financial landscape. He wants to use empathy when crafting policy and help keep people in their homes. He emphasized that housing is a human right.
Current law caps annual rent increases at 5% plus the percentage change in the cost of living, or not greater than 10%, whichever is lower. Kalra’s bill would drop that cap to 2% plus the percentage change to the cost of living, or a maximum of 5%, whichever is lower. The legislation includes single-family homes, currently not protected by existing law. Also, the Jan. 1, 2030, sunset on the 2019 tenant protection law would be removed.
Kalra said his bill excludes new properties for the first 15 years of occupancy, meant to address worries over impacts to housing development.
The bill drew strong support — and opposition — during last week’s hearing, with public speakers on both sides taking over an hour to express their opinion.
While the bill passed last week, some Democrats opposed the measure. Assemblymember Anamarie Ávila Farías, a Martinez Democrat, expressed concern that the legislation would create more harm than good. Rent control reduces the amount of housing, she argued.
Other opponents included the California Apartment Association, which on Tuesday praised Kalra’s move. It and others had said it would drop a pall over housing production and worsen the state’s housing crisis.
“California is in a housing crisis, but sadly, the same bad policies that helped get us into this mess in the first place continue to be introduced in Sacramento,” said Nathan Click, spokesperson for the California Apartment Association, in a statement. “Luckily, Californians won’t have to worry about AB 1157 for another year, which would make it harder for housing construction to pencil out, target mom-and-pop landlords, and put government price controls on renting out your extra bedroom.”
In an unrelated hearing, the Assembly Public Safety Committee passed Assembly Bill 379, which would make it a misdemeanor for someone to loiter publicly with the intent to purchase sex. It would also create the Survivor Support Fund that would pay for services and outreach to sex trafficking victims.
The bill, written by Sacramento Democratic Assemblymember Maggy Krell, now proceeds to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
“This is the best bill that I could bring today,” Krell told the committee.
Krell said on social media that she had to remove a portion of the bill for it to reach a committee on Tuesday. That part would have ensured the crime of purchasing a minor for sex applied in any case involving a victim under 18.
A similar bill that attempted to include greater penalties for people buying sex from 16- and 17-year-old victims passed into law last year, though — like with Krell’s legislation — that portion was removed. That bill instead increased a misdemeanor to a felony if a victim is younger than 16 or if the victim is 16 or 17 years old and a victim of human trafficking.
