I have serious concerns about the City Council’s continued efforts to implement its Rent Stabilization/Rent Control Program. The proposed program appears heavily weighted toward tenant protections, with little consideration given to the impact on small, responsible, owner-occupied housing providers.
I am a “mom-and-pop” landlord with just one rental unit in my owner-occupied duplex. I work tirelessly to maintain and continually improve my rental unit, offer it below-market rent despite the ever-increasing costs of ownership and maintenance, and strive to establish positive, long-term relationships with my tenants.
My tenants and I share a common front area, garage, and laundry facilities. This is my home, not an investment property or a large rental operation. I purchased this duplex with my mother in 1999 so we could have a home in Santa Barbara. After she passed away, I rented her side of the duplex to help keep our home. I never purchased it with the intention of becoming a landlord.
I am particularly troubled that the City Council has removed owner-occupied duplexes from its exemption list, despite the fact that these properties remain exempt under California’s statewide just-cause protections. I believe there is a fundamental distinction between large-scale rental operators and homeowners who share their primary residence with one tenant-occupied unit.
The proposed program raises serious concerns about government overreach, private property rights, financial burdens, and the ability of small housing providers to make decisions about their own homes. I do not believe the city should impose an additional layer of registration, regulation, and restrictions on homeowners who are already providing housing responsibly and often at below-market rates.
I fully support tenant protections when they are needed, and there are already established laws to address legitimate tenant grievances and housing violations. However, those protections should not come at the expense of responsible homeowners who are contributing to the community by providing housing. Small, owner-occupied duplex landlords should not be treated as though they are large commercial rental operators.
What is equally concerning is the apparent lack of interest from City Council in hearing from this segment of the community. I have sent two emails to the Mayor and City Council outlining my concerns. Unfortunately, as has been my experience throughout this process, I have received little meaningful engagement or acknowledgment of the issues raised.
Responsible landlords who maintain their properties, offer fair rents, and genuinely want long-term tenant relationships are part of Santa Barbara’s housing community, too. Yet our concerns seem to be consistently overlooked in the city’s push to move this program forward.
I appreciate the opportunity to share my perspective and help bring attention to how this program affects the very small, owner-occupied housing providers who are often overlooked in the broader rent control debate.
