In a series of unanimous votes on Tuesday night, the Salinas City Council passed three ordinances aimed at protecting tenants and limiting rent increases.
The rules serve to strengthen tenant anti-harassment protections, make it harder for landlords to evict tenants, and limit annual rent increases to less than 2.75%.
Many residents had long-anticipated the vote. Around 7 p.m., community members began filing into the rotunda and lined up to speak during public comment.
The majority of speakers urged the council to adopt all three ordinances. Many shared stories of being evicted after their landlord raised the rent and they could no longer afford it. Salinas resident Silvia Cruz said she now pays $2,600 per month in rent for a one-bedroom apartment.
“We are suffering a lot,” Cruz said in Spanish during public comment. “And I also have more bills to pay, so I’m really asking you to support this ordinance because we’re all struggling and we’re all suffering.”
There were also a handful of speakers, including several landlords, who urged the council not to adopt the ordinances. Kevin Dayton, with the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce, said limits on rent increases would discourage developers from building more housing.
“You’re not going to be able to circumvent supply and demand,” Dayton said to the council. “There’s going to be a shortage that results, and it’s going to make things worse.”
After dozens of passionate comments on both sides of the issue, the council members held their vote around 9 p.m. All three motions passed unanimously, and the crowd cheered.
The changes take effect January 1, 2025.
