At a time when Santa Barbara renters are struggling with soaring housing costs, the threat by Santa Barbara Rental Property Association (SBRPA) to sue the city over its temporary rent increase moratorium is misguided. The ordinance, adopted January 13 and effective February 26, simply freezes rents at current levels while officials draft a permanent stabilization plan. It is temporary and measured.
SBRPA calls the freeze an “unconstitutional taking” and an unlawful interference with private contracts. But the city has not seized property nor denied landlords the ability to earn income. Owners still collect rent, retain full ownership, and can sell their properties. A short-term pause on rent hikes is regulation — not confiscation.
Housing has always been subject to reasonable public safeguards, from zoning laws to safety codes. Rent stabilization is no different. Courts have long recognized that cities may regulate housing markets, particularly during crises…