Residents, housing advocates and Antioch City Council members gathered at Casa Blanca Apartments to celebrate the passage of the city’s first rent stabilization rules, the strongest such laws in Contra Costa County.
The ordinance caps rent increases at 3% or 60% of the consumer price index, whichever is lower; allows only one rent increase each year; and includes government-funded, low-income housing apartments.
“Today is a good day,” said Rhea Laughlin of First 5 Contra Costa, sponsor of East County Regional Group, which co-hosted the celebration along with Monument Impact and the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy.
“For two years we have rallied, marched and testified so that Antioch children and residents have a safe and affordable place to call home, but today we’re not worried about another corporate landlord giving a $500 or $600 rent increase, and we’re not worried about children losing their homes because the rent is too high,” she said at Tuesday’s celebration.
Laughlin noted that the city’s new rent stabilization laws, which offer protections for tenants, are some of the strongest in the Bay Area.
“Because of this policy, families will have relief, rents will be in line with wages, communities will stay intact and Antioch will stay diverse and strong,” she said.
Advocates with the East County Regional Group, which is sponsored by First 5 Contra Costa, recently surveyed 1,000 residents about the city’s housing challenges. More than four in five renters and homeowners surveyed said they want the city to take action to limit annual rent increases, prevent unjust evictions, create pathways to homeownership and build more affordable housing.
On average, those responding paid 63% of their monthly income on rent, leaving little for food, medicine, child care and other basic necessities, while 51% of renters said they worried about eviction.
Laughlin applauded the tenants, organizers and City Council leaders who worked to pass the strong protections, which will go into effect 30 days after the signing of the ordinance but be retroactive to Aug. 23. The regulations were officially passed by the council on a 3-2 vote after a second reading on Oct. 11.
“When we put children first and people before profits, we can win,” she said.
Rocheall Pierre, an Antioch resident and member of East County Regional Group, also thanked tenants and the City Council members “who listened to the community, listened to our needs.”
“While we celebrate this monumental, historic event, the fight is not over. You know that renters still need just cause for anti-harassment protections,” she said. “All of these policies go hand in hand. We must protect renters from high risks and unfair evictions. We must protect tenants from living in horrible conditions.”
Mayor Lamar Thorpe promised such protections will be part of a future council agenda as the city continues on its path of reforms.
“Today is not a celebration of just rent control,” he said. “Today’s a celebration of the reforms that are changing this city to make it more open and inclusive to all of the people in the Bay Area.”
Councilwoman Monica Wilson, meanwhile, called the signing of the rent stabilization rules a historic moment; however, “there’s so much more we need to do,” she said.
The councilwoman pointed to just cause and anti-harassment protections and said city leaders and allies need to push for more rights and equality throughout Antioch.
“Justice is often deferred and delayed, but it comes when we come together and fight for what we know is right,” Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker said just before the signing ceremony. “It’s time to continue to be bold, to be shameless and to be brazen in our pursuit for justice and equity here in the city of Antioch.”
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