S
an Francisco is poised to expand its rent control laws if voters approve Proposition 33 next month. The city's Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance sponsored by Supervisor Aaron Peskin, which would move the rent control cutoff date from 1979 to 1994. This change would affect around 16,000 apartments built between those years.

    However, for this expansion to take effect, voters must also repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, a state law that governs rent control and was passed in 1995. Peskin's initial proposal had aimed to expand rent control to all buildings constructed through November of this year, but he scaled it back under pressure from housing activists, labor groups, and developers.

    Proponents of Prop. 33 argue that the measure would allow cities like San Francisco to regulate rents more effectively, making housing more affordable for residents. Critics, including property owners across the state, contend that it would stifle construction of new housing units, exacerbating the affordability crisis.

    The AIDS Healthcare Foundation has spent $38.5 million in support of Prop. 33, while opponents have raised $37 million, with significant contributions from the California Apartment Association and Realtors groups. Industry leaders estimate they need to spend at least $150 million to defeat the measure.