Santa Barbara council adopts temporary rent-increase moratorium and tightens Ellis Act rules in 4-3 vote

The Santa Barbara City Council on Jan. 27 approved a temporary moratorium on rent increases and amendments to just-cause and Ellis Act eviction rules, voting 4-3 to adopt the staff-recommended ordinances as an interim measure while a permanent rent stabilization program is developed.

The measures — presented as Item 2 on the consent calendar and pulled for separate consideration — create a temporary pause on rent increases during the preparation and consideration of a permanent ordinance. Proponents said the moratorium will prevent displacement while the city builds a program; opponents warned of legal risk and administrative cost. "I urge the council to adopt the temporary rent freeze and stronger eviction protections today," said Anna, a policy advocate, during public comment.

The council heard a mix of tenant and landlord testimony before the vote. Tenant advocates and callers said a temporary freeze was needed to protect working families and maintain housing stability. "These protections are a strong, enforceable and effective way to ensure the rent stabilization ordinance can be implemented as intended," Anna said. Miles Hagen, calling in by phone, urged the council to move forward, saying the protections would help working people and local businesses.

Landlord representatives and some council members cautioned that a blanket moratorium raises constitutional and implementation issues. "Is housing a right under the constitution? No," said Betty Jeppesen, president of the Santa Barbara Rental Property Association, arguing that a moratorium could be treated as a taking under federal law. Jeppesen cited recent court rulings and said the proposal could reduce property values and run afoul of takings doctrine.

Several residents and housing experts urged narrower exemptions. Ben Romo, speaking as a private individual, suggested exempting units that are already affordable — specifically those rented at levels affordable to households earning up to 120% of area median income — and noted nonprofit-owned units kept below market were not always deed-restricted and thus would be excluded by the ordinance’s current language.

City staff told the council that draft FAQs have been prepared and are under legal review, and that the Rental Housing Mediation program will act as the single intake point for complaints and questions. "They will compile those questions even if they are specific to a property or property owner, and then we will work to figure out how to respond in conjunction with the city attorney’s office," a city official said during the meeting.

Council members debated enforcement, exemptions and administrative workload. Some members favored a pause to gather more data and clarify exemptions; others argued that delaying action would allow landlords to push through rent increases that would undermine a future stabilization ordinance. Council member Jordan pressed staff for clearer guidance on complex property configurations (for example, multiple dwellings on one parcel and legalized accessory dwelling units) and requested simple bilingual materials for the public.

The motion to adopt the staff recommendations was moved by Council member Santa Maria and seconded by Council member Harmon. The clerk recorded the motion as approved 4-3; the record shows three dissenting votes were entered by members recorded in the meeting minutes.

Votes at a glance

- Item 2 (temporary rent-increase moratorium and Ellis Act/just-cause amendments): Approved, 4-3. Dissenting votes recorded in the minutes. - Balance of consent calendar (items excluding Item 2): Adopted earlier in the meeting by motion and voice/hand vote.

What happens next

Staff will publish the FAQ and serve as a single intake point through the Rental Housing Mediation program; unresolved matters may be referred to Legal Aid for representation. The ordinances are temporary measures designed to remain in effect until a permanent rent stabilization ordinance is enacted and will be revisited as that process proceeds.

The council closed the meeting after routine community reports and adjourned in solidarity with victims named in the record.