Argument for Measure M

Vote YES on Measure M to protect Santa Cruz from the biggest threat facing our community: skyrocketing rents. Exorbitant rents are driving out valued teachers, working families, and long-time Santa Cruz residents.

Measure M makes housing costs predictable and stable, freeing seniors and families from constant fear of losing their homes. Rents have skyrocketed 46% in the last 4 years while wages have inched up only 8%. Young people cannot afford to stay in the city where they grew up. As we lose beloved family and community members, we lose Santa Cruz’s quality of life.

To landlords who keep rents reasonable, thank you! Vote YES on Measure M to stop predatory rent increases and unjust evictions by others.

A YES vote on Measure M will:

• Protect over 36,000 renters;
• Allow annual rent increases pegged to inflation (1.2% to 3.6% over the last decade);
• Guarantee landlords a fair return on their investment with the option to petition for a rent adjustment if they are suffering financially;
• Limit evictions to specific situations (unpaid rent, illegal activity, etc.), preventing evictions just to raise rents;
• Protect families too intimidated to report unsafe conditions for fear of retaliatory evictions;
• Always allow owners to move back into their homes or take them off the market. The upheaval of such unanticipated displacement on the tenant is balanced by the landlord's responsibility to pay a relocation fee consistent with the cost of finding new housing;
• Roll rents back to October 2017 levels;
• Create an independent Rent Board - directly elected by and answerable to the voters - to administer the law;
• No cost to the city beyond initial loan and fully funded by small per unit fee paid by landlords.

Join teachers, long-term residents, nurses, landlords, retirees, homeowners and young people in voting YES on Measure M.

Robert Cavooris
Renter, Graduate Student Instructor                                                                                  

Paula Mack
Landlord, Retired Union Nurse                                                                                             

Thao Le
Renter, Student, Housing Justice Organizer                                                                      

David Sweet
Homeowner, Retired University Professor                                                                        

Viveka Jagadeesan
Renter, Facility Manager