San Pablo Advances Rent Cap Ballot Measure While Repealing Rent Registry

This past week, the San Pablo City Council approved placing a local initiative before voters this November that would substantially reduce allowable annual rent increases.

Under current California law through AB 1482, annual rent increases are generally limited to 5% plus inflation, up to a maximum of 10% annually. The San Pablo proposal would instead establish a local cap of: 3% annually or 60% of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is lower.

The measure was brought to the city by the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) and Rising Juntos, who argue the proposal is necessary to address rising housing costs and growing housing instability. The organizations collected 2,420 signatures to qualify the initiative, with Contra Costa County Elections validating 1,719 signatures, well above the required threshold of 1,325.

In addition to limiting rent increases, the proposal would expand renter rights that are already provided under state renter laws by allowing formal complaints to the city when housing services are reduced, repairs are delayed, or services are removed. The measure also includes a process allowing housing providers to seek rent adjustments if they believe they are not receiving a reasonable return. The initiative now heads to San Pablo voters in November and will require a simple majority to pass.

A Surprising Twist: Repealing the Rent Registry

What makes the new ballot measure notable is that it comes immediately after San Pablo took the opposite direction on another a popular housing policy tool. Earlier this month, the San Pablo City Council voted 4–1 to repeal the city’s rent registry program, which had tracked rental data since 2024.

Supporting repeal were Mayor Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado, Vice Mayor Rita Xavier, and Councilmembers Arturo Cruz and Patricia Ponce. Councilmember Abel Pineda voted against repeal.

According to council meeting minutes, the majority concluded the registry created administrative costs and compliance burden without generating enough measurable outcomes to justify continuation. (Note:This is the argument EBRHA and rental housing providers have been telling legislators for years.)

Several themes emerged during the repeal discussion:

• The registry was not producing sufficient actionable housing outcomes.
• Registration requirements and annual fees created additional administrative obligations for housing providers.
• The city expressed interest in shifting toward a rent review and mediation approach rather than ongoing data collection.
• Budget and implementation concerns led leaders to reevaluate whether resources could be better allocated elsewhere.

This is an interesting development considering cities like San Leandro just passed a rent registry. However, San Pablo officials did emphasized that the repeal should not be interpreted as reducing renter protections. The city's goal is to be maintain renter protections while changing the administrative mechanism used to oversee housing conditions and affordability.

Implementation of the registry repeal is currently paused through June 30, 2026 while final ordinance amendments and transition planning are completed.

Why This Matters

From an East Bay housing policy perspective, San Pablo may become one of the first recent examples of a city stepping back from a rent registry after implementation and publicly evaluating whether the administrative burden justified the outcomes.

At the same time, the city is considering a ballot measure that would significantly tighten rent regulation. EBRHA CEO Derek Barnes has repeatedly expressed concern that policies should be evaluated based on whether they improve housing stability without reducing housing availability or limiting owners’ ability to maintain and reinvest in housing.

EBRHA will continue monitoring developments and provide updates as more details become available.