City Government

Stockton City Council Unanimously Passes Rent Control Ordinance, Bans No-fault Evictions

Published

5 years ago

November 21, 2019

The Stockton City Council unanimously passed a rent control ordinance Tuesday night that adopts Assembly Bill 1482, capping rent increases to 5 percent annually. That will go into effect immediately.

By adopting the Tenant Protection Act of 2019, or AB 1482, the city also immediately bans no-fault evictions in the city, ahead of the bill’s Jan. 1, 2020 implementation. Under the new ordinance, landlords will only be able to evict tenants if they have a reason — like not paying rent or breaking their lease agreement.

In a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in North Stockton, Tam-me Jackson, husband Ed and recent college graduate and son Nijer have rented seven years. But, it hasn’t been easy.

“I think it’s pretty difficult to be a renter in Stockton,” said Jackson.

Jackson works two jobs as social worker and marriage and family therapist. Her husband, a former warehouse supervisor, is disabled. Their rent was $1,100, but her landlord increased it this month to $1,300. That’s an 18 percent increase.

“He has let me know that he knows my rent is under market. So, I’m sure he’s looking to get it to at the market rate,” added Jackson.

Jackson says it causes anxiety not knowing when or how much her rent could go up again. That’s why Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs is proposing an emergency amendment to the city code to limit the rental increases yearly to 5 percent, plus cost of living.

That coincides with a new state law in 2020. Tubbs says it can’t wait.

“So, what we’re doing is saying the state law goes into effect in January. Let’s make it in effect today so that [on] Thanksgiving and Christmas we don’t have people being evicted for no reason,” Tubbs said.

As you might imagine, landlords have a much different opinion when it comes to the rent control proposal.

Steve Smith is a veteran Stockton landlord who manages properties for his mother. He says rent control just means more regulations and takes away the incentive for investors to purchase properties.

“Most of the people that own rentals in this community, houses, for instance, most of them are people that didn’t work for the city, didn’t work for the county, didn’t work for a large corporation that had pensions. They saved their money for 30 years to buy one, two, three houses and that is their retirement. And, that’s what I’m protecting,” said Smith.

Jackson works with adults with disabilities and says rent increases aren’t keeping up with their incomes.

“They’re on fixed incomes and I’m seeing their rents get increased and landlords not taking into consideration they’re not getting more money,” said Jackson.

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City Government

San Pablo Appoints New Economic Development and Housing Manager

Kieron Slaughter has been appointed as the economic development & housing manager for the City of San Pablo. Since 2017, Slaughter has served as chief strategic officer for economic innovation in the City of Berkeley’s Office of Economic Development. Previously, he served in a 2.5-year appointment in the Pacific West Region as one of 10 Urban Fellows in the United States National Park Service.

Published

15 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Kieron Slaughter. Photo courtesy of the City of San Pablo

The Richmond Standard

Kieron Slaughter has been appointed as the economic development & housing manager for the City of San Pablo.

Since 2017, Slaughter has served as chief strategic officer for economic innovation in the City of Berkeley’s Office of Economic Development. Previously, he served in a 2.5-year appointment in the Pacific West Region as one of 10 Urban Fellows in the United States National Park Service.

Before that he was an associate planner in the City of Richmond’s Planning and Building Services Department from 2007-2015.

San Pablo City Manager Matt Rodriguez lauded Slaughter’s extensive experience in economic development, housing and planning, saying he will add a “valuable perspective to the City Manager’s Office.”

Slaughter, a Berkeley resident, will start in his new role on Nov. 12, with a base annual salary of $164,928, according to the City of San Pablo.

Oakland Post

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City Government

Aaron Osorio Rises Up Ranks to Become Richmond’s Fire Chief

For Aaron Osorio, it started with a ride along on a firetruck at age 10. “I thought it was the coolest job,” he said, adding, “I knew being in fire service would make a big difference in the community.” Now a 27-year fire service veteran, Osorio appears to approach his work with the same youthful exuberance. And that’s good for the city as Osorio was recently named chief of the historic Richmond Fire Department.

Published

15 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Richmond Fire Department Chief Aaron Osorio. Courtesy photo

By Mike Kinney

The Richmond Standard

For Aaron Osorio, it started with a ride along on a firetruck at age 10.

“I thought it was the coolest job,” he said, adding, “I knew being in fire service would make a big difference in the community.”

Now a 27-year fire service veteran, Osorio appears to approach his work with the same youthful exuberance. And that’s good for the city as Osorio was recently named chief of the historic Richmond Fire Department.

Osorio is a San Francisco native who rose up the ranks in the Richmond Fire Department over the last 21 years before being elevated to chief.

He joined the department in 2002 and has served in multiple roles including firefighters, engineer, captain, battalion chief, training director and deputy fire chief. He said he truly loves working in this community.

While it isn’t common for a fire department to hire a chief that came up through its ranks, Osorio was credited by the city for serving Richmond well during uncommon times.

The city lauded him for developing internal policies and vaccination clinics during the initial COVID response, for supporting activation of the emergency operations center in response to a potential mudslide disaster in Seacliff last year, helping to draft mutual aid agreements and working to increase fire response capabilities for industrial incidents.

He’s also led departmental hiring and recruitment since 2018.

Osorio said it is an honor to be hired as chief and has big plans for the department moving forward. He said he wants to continue hiring and promoting for vacant positions, and also completing a strategic plan guiding the direction of the organization.

He also aims to replace and renovate a number of fire department facilities placed on the Capital Improvement Plan and create new ways to recruit that will enhance the diversity of the department.

Osorio said his experience within, and love for, the city of Richmond puts him in a good position to lead the department. He says he knows what is needed and also the challenges that are unique to the city.

“I look forward to utilizing that institutional knowledge to move the fire department forward in a positive direction and enhance the services we provide to the community,” the chief said.

Osorio holds a bachelor of science degree in Fire Administration and is also a California State Fire Marshal-certified chief officer, company officer, and state instructor.

He also holds numerous certifications in fire, rescue, hazardous material, and incident command.

The chief has been married to his wife, Maria, for 26 years and they have two sons, Roman and Mateo.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

Oakland Awarded $28 Million Grant from Governor Newsom to Sustain Long-Term Solutions Addressing Homelessness

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the City of Oakland has won a$28,446,565.83 grant as part of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grant program. This program provides flexible grant funding to help communities support people experiencing homelessness by creating permanent housing, rental and move-in assistance, case management services, and rental subsidies, among other eligible uses.

Published

16 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the City of Oakland has won a$28,446,565.83 grant as part of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grant program.

This program provides flexible grant funding to help communities support people experiencing homelessness by creating permanent housing, rental and move-in assistance, case management services, and rental subsidies, among other eligible uses.

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the Oakland City Administrator’s Office staff held a press conference today to discuss the grant and the City’s successful implementing of the Mayor’s Executive Order on the Encampment Management Policy.