Salinas council cuts rental-registry fees and adopts 2026 program budget amid compliance concerns
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Council approved a 35% reduction in rental-registry and rent-program fees (to $29 and $112 per unit) and appropriated $1,128,821 for 2026 operations, while directing staff to pursue compliance and enforcement plans and fill vacant positions the city says are required to implement the program.
The Salinas City Council adopted three resolutions Dec. 9 to set rental-registry and rent-stabilization program fees for 2026 and to appropriate $1,128,821 for program operations. Staff said 2025 fees produced a surplus and recommended a fee reduction of roughly 35%: the rental-registry fee would drop to $29 per unit and the rent-program fee to $112, both effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Lisa (staff) presented projected program costs and said the recommended staffing for 2026 includes roughly three full-time-equivalent positions (a planning manager 0.2 FTE, a 0.75 FTE community development analyst, an administrative analyst and an administrative aide); staff said no reduction in services is planned despite the lower fees and that a 25% reserve is included to protect against lower-than-forecast compliance. "We are moving forward with implementing full force," the city manager said.
Public commenters and tenant-advocacy groups warned the fee cut could jeopardize staffing and enforcement; landlords said enforcement and registration remain difficult. Council approved the three resolutions on a consolidated vote; Councilmember Sandoval voted No. Council directed staff to return in January with a compliance and enforcement strategy and to move to fill the vacant analyst position.