Salinas council votes to repeal four rent-related ordinances after months of debate

The Salinas City Council voted 5-2 on May 13 to repeal four rent-related ordinances — the city's rent stabilization, rent registration, just-cause eviction and anti-harassment measures — after a night of public comment and extended council discussion.

City Attorney Chris Callahan opened the council's consideration by correcting media accounts that had described a recent court ruling as striking down the local laws. "No court has found them to be either unconstitutional or illegal," Callahan told the council, and he said the council's action that night was a direct response to direction given at an April meeting to return an ordinance for repeal.

Supporters of the ordinances filled the dais area during public comment and urged the council to retain local renter protections. Many speakers said families and workers in Salinas are rent-burdened, cited single-family cases of alleged habitability issues and asked the council to give the new rules time to work. Dozens of residents also asked the council to instead expand rental-assistance programs, provide better tenant outreach and improve enforcement of state landlord-tenant law.

Several landlords and property owners, and representatives of industry groups, urged repeal. They said local caps on rent increases and other provisions reduced rental supply and left some small property owners unable to cover rising operating costs, including insurance and utilities.

After hours of testimony, Mayor Dennis Donahue made the motion to introduce and adopt the repeal ordinance on the same night. The final roll call was: Barajas ' Yes; Barrera ' No; Dirigo ' Yes; Dela Rosa ' Yes; Salazar ' Yes; Sandoval ' No; Donahue ' Yes. Callahan earlier advised the council that ordinances adopted by the council take effect 30 days after adoption, and he said staff would return with legal and programmatic details about unwinding the city's registration and stabilization programs.

The vote did not end the discussion. Council members and staff repeatedly urged immediate follow-up steps: staff were asked to bring back a recommendation for a rental-assistance program, to work with community partners on outreach and to prepare options for how the city will manage fees and contracts tied to the now-repealed programs. Community development director Lisa Brinton told the council staff could propose a short-term administrative structure but would need clearer policy direction and potential seed funding to stand up a new assistance program.

For now, Callahan said, city staff will prepare the administrative steps required by a repeal, review fees and contracts tied to the programs and bring proposals about rental assistance and other follow-ups to the council for future meetings. The council's action sets a 30-day clock before the repeal becomes effective.

What happens next: staff will prepare options for a rental-assistance program, report back on contractual and fee issues tied to the rent-registration program, and continue outreach to community groups and landlords as the city develops next steps.