Salinas clerk certifies referendum signatures on rent ordinances; council accepts certificate amid large public turnout

The Salinas City Council accepted a certificate of signature verification on Aug. 26 showing that a referendum petition seeking to restore recently repealed renter‑protection ordinances met the threshold to proceed.

City Clerk Patty told the council the Monterey County registrar completed a full check of 10,448 submitted signatures and certified 7,156 as valid. The number of valid signatures exceeded the statutory requirement Patty cited (6,998). The certificate of sufficiency was presented to the council; acceptance requires no immediate policy decision, but Patty outlined the council’s next steps: at its Sept. 9 meeting the council may either repeal the repeal ordinance, or submit the question to voters either at the next regular municipal election (November 2026) or at a special election no fewer than 88 days after the council’s order.

Why it matters The petitioners gathered more than the required valid signatures in roughly 30 days, prompting large public turnout during the meeting and sustained advocacy from tenants, community groups and civic leaders. The referendum affects four separate rent‑related ordinances that the council repealed earlier this year, touching eviction protections, rent stabilization and rental registration.

Public response More than a dozen speakers urged the council to let voters decide and to place the measure on the November 2026 ballot rather than hold a costly special election. Speakers included organizers and supporters from Protect Salinas Renters and community groups such as Building Healthy Communities and the Monterey Bay labor council. Speakers described housing instability, high rents, and widespread local support for tenant protections; several called the verified petition an expression of democracy.

Council deliberations Councilmembers praised the volume of participation and urged a collaborative path forward. Several members encouraged ongoing outreach, data collection and stakeholder engagement ahead of any final decision. Council members also discussed fiscal tradeoffs: some speakers and councilmembers noted a special election could cost the city more than $1 million, while others urged a prompt vote to reduce tenant displacement risk.

Action taken The council unanimously accepted the county’s certificate of signature verification. The acceptance starts the statutory clock for the council’s options on how to proceed; final action on placement or repeal will be considered at a future council meeting.

Quotes “We received the registrar’s certificate of sufficiency,” City Clerk Patty said, summarizing the county’s verification and outlining the council’s next steps.

Ending The council’s acceptance of the certificate moves the matter into a schedule of options and public deliberation. The city will return to the issue at its Sept. 9 meeting; council members and community groups said they will continue outreach and submit more detailed implementation data in advance of that date.