Richmond City Council Endorses Rent Control & Just Cause Evictions

Richmond City Council on June 23rd directed city staff to prepare a draft ordinance to be presented to the council at its July meeting which would establish rent control and just cause eviction regulations for the city.
The vote on the motion by Council member Jael Myrick was four to two with Council members Gayle McLaughlin, Eduardo Martinez, Jovanka Beckles and Myrick voting in favor and Council members Vinay Pimple and Mayor Tom Butt voting no. Council member Nathaniel Bates abstained. The vote climaxed a years-long campaign by the Richmond Progressive Alliance and other community groups to block impending gentrification, and preserve affordable housing. The night before the City Council vote, About 100 people crowded into the Nevin Community Center in Richmond June 22 to talk about bringing rent control and just cause eviction protections to renter households in Richmond, which has long been one of the most affordable towns in the inner East Bay Area. The meeting was sponsored by the Richmond Progressive Alliance and several other community groups including the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, and Service Employees Union Local 1021. Tom Herriman has this report:
Photo: Jesus and Tomasa Perez brought their kids Toni, Scarlett and Jesse to the Richmond city Council Meeting June 23rd for the rent control debate.