Rent control measure has March 2002 ballot date

Tariq Malik

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The fate of rent control rests in the hands of

residents now, with a ballot measure set to appear before voters next

year.

The City Council scheduled the Property Rights Protection Measure, a

proposed amendment to the city charter, to appear on voter ballots in the

March 2002 primary election.

The amendment, proposed by local businessman Ed Laird, would prohibit

the city from adopting regulations that would impose rent or price

restrictions on residential properties such as apartments, single-family

homes and mobile homes.

“I would like to set an election date at the least cost and at the

soonest available time for this city,� Councilman Peter Green said.

He added that March 2002 is 13 months away, which would allow people

time to educate themselves about the measure and prepare for the

election.

Some rent control supporters beseeched council members Monday to set a

more distant election date for the measure in order to make way for

better voter turn out, and allow proper time for residents to learn about

the issue.

By attaching the proposed measure to the primary election next year,

the city is able to save money on election costs it usually shares with

other agencies. In a special election, costs could run in excess of

$100,000, city officials said.

Laird said he proposed the measure in May in order to lift the

responsibility of rent control from the shoulders of the city, where the

issue has been debated for the last several years.

“The city had five years to make a decision on the issue, and they

haven’t yet,� he said, adding that he owns a mobile home and thinks the

rents are fair. “If you look at our city’s rents, they’ve only gone up

about 1.2% to 2% a year.�

Mobile homeowners who have to rent the space occupied by their home

disagree.

“This is an evil thing that will enslave the residents of this city to

the whims of landlords,� said Steve Gullage, president of the Huntington

Beach Mobile Homeowners Assn.

Gullage and other rent control supporters have been hoping to pass a

rent control ordinance through the city since 1996 as assurance that

monthly rates cannot be unfairly increased. Should that initiative be

passed, the proposed charter amendment would prevent its enforcement and

tie the hands of the city on the matter, said Councilwoman Connie

Boardman.

“I’d like to see the amendment proposal voted on as soon as possible

so we can remove this cloud of an issue that the community has been

asking the city to deal with for years,� she added.

Over the next year, Laird expects to begin campaigning for the measure

and has no qualms about the 2002 election date.

“We’ve been patient five years, so another 13 months is just fine,� he

said.