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Salinas council votes to repeal local rent-registration and tenant-protection ordinances after heated public comment
Summary
After hours of public testimony and legal questions, the Salinas City Council voted to repeal four local rental ordinances that had imposed local rent-stabilization, tenant-protection and rental-registration rules. Residents, tenant advocates and landlords clashed at a meeting marked by crowded public comment and conflicting legal reporting.
The Salinas City Council voted on Tuesday to repeal four locally adopted rental ordinances, including the city’s rent-stabilization and rental-registration measures, after several hours of public comment and debate.
The vote followed a legal clarification from City Attorney Chris Callahan, who told the council the court case that some media cited did not rule the city’s ordinances unconstitutional or illegal. Callahan said the court matter cited in coverage was an unlawful-detainer case and "the constitutionality of the city's ordinance was never at issue." Nonetheless, the council majority moved to rescind the local programs.
Councilmembers who supported repealing the ordinances argued the measures had discouraged investment in rental housing and increased costs for some property owners. Opponents — ranging from tenant advocates, community groups and many Salinas residents — urged the council to keep local protections in place, saying state law alone would not provide sufficient protection for renters in the city.
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