Santa Barbara city officials proposed 11 changes to the city’s Just Cause Ordinance, which would restrict landlords from evicting tenants without specific legal reasons, at a Tuesday night meeting.
The city’s Just Cause Ordinance passed in 2019 and has been amended over the years. Now, it’s been brought into the conversation again as an enforcement mechanism of the recently passed Rent Stabilization Ordinance. Both have created tension between landlord-tenant relationships. This conflict made its way into city hall on Tuesday night, with many public commenters going head to head.
“What we often see is that many eviction notices that tenants receive don’t have a reason stated at all,” Councilmember Wendy Santamaria said. “We want to provide you with clear information on what notices you need to provide and how much relocation assistance you need to give.”
In agreement that the amendments were far from perfect, the city council did not take any formal action with the ordinance Tuesday night. But many councilmembers felt optimistic about certain clauses like more consistent written notice and maintaining stability for children.
“We have these goals, let’s find opportunities to build consensus,” said Councilmember Meagan Harmon.
The amendments came from tenant protection advocates, not staff recommendations. On June 30, the city released a draft for public review. Public comment was taken, organized and drafted into a new ordinance.
Overall, the amended Just Cause Ordinance would cover more tenants. For example, renters living in the non-owner unit of property owner occupied duplexes. It also includes changes for landlords who wish to evict a tenant because they themself want to move in. The ordinance now requires them to live there for 36 consecutive months rather than 12, if they do evict a tenant.
Another significant addition was the “school year defense” amendment, aimed to protect children whose families are facing eviction. Landlords would not be allowed to evict families with children under 18 until the school year (Aug. through June) is over. It also applies to teachers, school staff and administrators.
Councilmember and mayoral candidate Kristen Sneddon added that the clause should also include college students.
Currently, property owners can evict tenants on a “no fault basis” to completely demolish and remodel their property. This has caused several tenants to face displacement when they haven’t done anything illegal. Another amendment states that demolition is no longer a ground for eviction. “Substantial remodels” are still greenlit, but need to go through multiple city approvals.
Nuisance and damage offenses also would change. A previous criminal conviction, being the victim of a crime or calling 911 no longer counts as nuisance. Tenants who caused damage to a property can provide a fix in a reasonable time or pay for restoration costs to avoid eviction. Even then, a landlord would be required to provide written notice that the tenants behavior is putting them at risk of eviction.
The new ordinance also requires such written notices to be printed in both English and Spanish, or the tenants primary language.
While some clauses are being changed or added, others will carry forward from the most recent draft in June. These items protect vulnerable populations like seniors and disabled tenants. If these tenants are evicted, they have an extended moving period of one year to leave the property.
The meeting attracted dozens of passionate public commenters, drawing out the item for over three hours at the meeting. Most were either landlords or tenants. Angeliza Sanchez, an organizer for CAUSE, a local tenant protection group, urged city council to include deed restricted affordable housing in the Just Cause Ordinance.
“Just Cause is simply allowing tenants a reason as to why they’re being evicted,” Sanchez said. “I urge you to consider exactly who we’re protecting here: our most vulnerable tenants.”
Sanchez also said the effectiveness of rent stabilization lies in this ordinance, and vice versa. The language of the Just Cause Ordinance assumes adoption of rent stabilization.
Another tenant protection advocate, Reyna Angel, supported editing the nuisance clause, citing victims of domestic violence who need to contact emergency services.
“Women are staying in unsafe relationships because they can’t afford rent on their own,” Angel said. “This is why the nuisance clause needs to go away.”
On the other hand, landlords opposed the ordinance for similar reasons to why they’re against rent stabilization: fearing tightened government regulation on their small property businesses. Many feel they are being penalized for providing housing.
Even more, landlords said they were excluded from the policy writing process of the Just Cause Ordinance, while tenant unions were a major part of it.
“There was no us sitting at the table to balance this out, you’re forcing our hands,” said Julie Wenderfall. “We are the people who provide housing for the backbone of this community”
This lack of compromise also discouraged some council members, plus Mayor Randy Rowse, who said rent legislation has “made a wedge between parties” in Santa Barbara. Councilmember Harmon said the city needs to meet their landlord community halfway.
Councilmember Santamaria, a strong advocate of rent stabilization, similarly was the most on-board with the Just Cause Ordinance. She stayed especially stern on helping tenants cover relocation costs if they are evicted.
“Having adequate relocation assistance so tenants can find a new home rather than falling into homelessness is key,” she said.
City Administrator Kelly McAdoo ended the meeting, warning the city council that a revised draft is unlikely to come through before the end of the year. With a crowded agenda, it may be months before the staff comes back with a new ordinance introduction, McAdoo said.
