Salinas council delays final action on rent‑ordinance referendum, gives stakeholders two weeks to continue talks

The Salinas City Council on Sept. 9 voted to postpone a final determination on a citizens’ referendum that challenges the council’s repeal of rent‑related ordinances. Instead of immediately sending the question to voters or unilaterally repealing the repeal ordinance, the council gave two weeks for the stakeholder groups who have been meeting to continue negotiating and return with an update at a Sept. 23 meeting.

Background and legal choices: the action before the council stemmed from a referendum petition filed by Protect Salinas Renters that qualified after the Monterey County Registrar certified signatures. The referendum challenges the council’s earlier action to repeal a so‑called “repeal ordinance” that had suspended four rent‑related ordinances the council had adopted earlier in the year. The city clerk reminded the council that, under the Elections Code and the city’s processes, council options were to (a) repeal the repeal ordinance, thereby leaving the four rent ordinances in force; or (b) submit the repeal ordinance to the voters at a regular municipal election or a special election in accordance with legal timelines.

Cost estimates and timing: the city clerk presented cost estimates prepared for the council. A consolidated November 2026 general election would be the least expensive route for a public vote, estimated at about $494,000–$706,350 based on the city’s 70,635…