Rental stabilization

Healdsburg’s rental housing market is in crisis. Evictions, 60 day notices and often 20 percent-plus rental increases are occurring daily, the most recent eviction being the 21-unit rental housing on Prentice Drive, with all tenants being evicted for building repairs, and rents going from a range of $850 to $1,400 to $2,100 – a 65 percent rental increase and more in one year. How many rental units and people are in Healdsburg? According to the 2010 housing element statistics there are 4,378 total housing units in Healdsburg. Forty-two percent of them (1,857) are rental units. With an average of three persons per unit, this could represent 5,571 people in our community of 12,000 residents.
Approximately 44 people spoke at the Monday night city council meeting for over two hours. It was heart-wrenching, hearing of many large rental increases and eviction stories and pleas for help and guidance to the city council. The General Plan and Housing Element for Healdsburg have many references to preserve and encourage affordable housing in Healdsburg. The city council has a duty to oversee these matters to serve and protect its residents. I am proposing a “rent stabilization advisory” for consideration that would address this rental housing crisis and present it to the public immediately. It would not be legally binding but provide for recommendations on rental housing from the city council. Here are several moral housing principles that the council should address. Other provisions could also be added.
1. Rent increases to existing tenants should be reasonable and fair in nature. Rent increases, if necessary, should be spread out gradually over several years rather than one large rent increase of 15 percent or more.
2. Wholesale eviction of tenants, such as the 21-unit building, should be carefully reviewed. Tenants should be given, not 60 days notice, but a minimum of 90 days due to the chronic housing shortage in the city and county.
3. Tenants evicted for building repairs should be given the first right of return to their units once repairs are completed. This should be in writing, unless the tenant has had violations of payment or their lease. If repair costs are large for the rental owner, then rental increases should be spread out over a number of years and be moderate and reasonable each year.
4. Rental owners should inspect their properties on a regular basis to check for health and safety issues. Tenants should also be advised to report the same issues to the rental owner.
Once the city council prepares and passes an advisory, I would recommend strong public notice as follows:
1. The rent advisory should be sent to all known rental owners (1,857 units) annually, so owners are aware of the council’s guidelines on rental housing.
2. The advisory should be published in both the local newspaper and the utility billing at least twice a year. It should also be in a permanent and prominent part of the city website.
3. All tenants and rental owners should be notified, through utility billings, to provide the city with both the tenant address and rental owner address for notifications of city rental advisories.
This “rental stabiIization advisory” will most likely affect only a minority of rental owners who have made large, sudden rent increases and/or 60 day evictions – for the reasons of repairs and the resulting higher rents. Most rental owners are fair and reasonable with their tenants and rental increases.
I request the council proactively use its moral authority, now, to provide reasonable guidelines to the rental housing community of 5,000-plus persons. Our small community has a diverse population that is reflected in diverse incomes, ethnicity and housing that gives Healdsburg our so-called “small town charm.” Let’s not lose that.
Bruce Abramson is a 26-year resident of Healdsburg, has put two children through the public schools, is a former Parks and Recreation Commissioner and is a community activist and mortgage broker.