shout out to Jimmy McMillan, whose facial hair alone commands respect.
As a current renting resident in the state of California, I support Proposition 10 in California’s upcoming ballot. I came to this conclusion after analyzing both the pros and cons of the proposal, attempting to strike a balance between my personal needs, and what I feel is best for California.
If you’re unsure what CA Prop 10 does, or are unsure how I came to that conclusion, read below!
California’s Proposition 10 is one of 12 ballot measures up for discussion and vote in California’s upcoming November state elections. Prop 10, aka The Affordable Housing Act, will allow individual cities to introduce new or expand existing rent control policies through local rent control boards. This will include rent for apartment buildings, condos, and single-family homes. Prop 10 also provides that rent control policies may not violate landlords’ right to fair financial return on their rental property, which is good for those that may feel they are losing their right to determine their revenue.
The arguments against Prop 10 consistently mention either loss of revenue for landlords and renting homeowners, decreased house construction due to companies no longer earning the same amount of money, and handing over the rights to set their own rent prices to the “bureaucrats” in local rent control boards.
In contrast, the arguments in favor of Prop 10 consistently mention putting the power to control the cost of rent in the hands of the community (through the rent control boards), an increase in sales revenue due to tenants having more disposable income, and enabling hourly workers to live closer to their work places which could lead to shorter commutes, less pollution, and less freeway traffic.
Now that the facts are out of the way, here is my take. On its surface, Prop 10 sounds like a great initiative. It rids California statutes made 20 years ago that allow landlords to increase rent between tenants and set their own rates regardless of the local economic situation. Further, I personally like the prospect of either having cheaper rent, or a rent amount more in line with the local economy. I also like more affordable housing for those that currently cannot afford regular rent hikes.
Furthermore, while reading the “Against Prop 10” argument, I did not connect with any of the arguments having to do with lost revenue. Further, I personally believe that power should flow downstream in a democracy; there are many, many more tenants than landlords or home owners in California, and democracy should reflect the will of the people. Since I am currently a renter and am also in the market to buy a home in the next year or so, any measure that will make it easier for me and others to afford a place to live gets a positive reaction from me.
I am part of a larger society, and not everyone shares the same experiences, fortunes, and misfortunes I do. However, if Prop 10 is put in place, there is potential for a windfall of positive changes for Californians. Not only is there the potential for rent to increase at a manageable pace more aligned with economic growth, but Los Angeles could see a slight decrease in morning and evening traffic and the average tenant could have more disposable income to spend or save for future purposes. Though I am fully in favor of CA Proposition 10, I realize this measure and other important measures can only be enacted if enough affected people are notified and willing to vote. With that said….
Check out your California registration status here: voterstatus.sos.ca.gov
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