Rent control advocates said they have collected 195,309 signatures for the Rental Affordability Act, the statewide ballot measure that will allow local communities to expand rent control in California.

The organizations leading the effort – AIDS Healthcare Foundation and its housing advocacy division, Housing is a Human Right – said since June 28, they’ve collected 195,309 signatures, or 31%, of the 623,212 needed to qualify the Rental Affordability Act for the ballot. That surpasses the 25% threshold that compels the California State Legislature to hold joint legislative committee hearings in Sacramento.

The hearings must be held no later than 131 days before the 2020 election. Voting day is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2020, meaning the legislature’s deadline is June 25, 2020.

The Rental Affordability Act would amend the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act to allow expansion of rent control policies in California communities. Local governments would be able to expand their rent control policies to housing that is more than 15 years old, limit the rent increase for a new tenant who moves into a vacated unit to no more than 15% over the next three years and exempt the owner of one or two homes from any rent control law. Rent control advocates are aiming to collect nearly one million voter signatures.

For information, visit ahf.org.