Richmond Rent Control Opponents Gather Enough Signatures To Block Measure

RICHMOND (CBS SF) -- Richmond's rent control and just cause for eviction policy has been officially suspended after enough signatures on a petition blocking it were ruled valid, according to the City Clerk's Office.

The policy was set to take effect on Sept. 4, but a petition - backed by the California Apartment Association as well as realtors, homeowners and property management companies - suspended it.

At the time, some members of the city council questioned the legitimacy of the petition. It blocked the ordinance, which was passed on Aug. 5, a day before it would have taken effect.

But in a report attached to Richmond City Council's Tuesday meeting agenda, the city clerk ruled the petition had 389 valid signatures out of a random sampling of 500 signatures.

It was projected that 5,514 of the total 7,087 signatures submitted were legitimate, making it "a sufficient number ... for the ordinance to be suspended," according to the city clerk.

When the petition was introduced, councilmember Jovanka Beckles expected it to face challenges.

"Folks video-taped these petitioners lying to voters," Beckles said last month. "They lied to people and that is a form of voter suppression and this needs to be looked into legally."

CAA representatives were confident their petition would hold up to scrunity.

The legislation can be repealed by the city council. They can also put it on the November 2016 ballot or hold a special election in June, according to the meeting agenda.

In September, Beckles said she was planning on consulting the City Attorney's Office to determine a course of legal action. She could not be immediately reached today for comment.

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