Debate in Desert Hot Springs, Calif., over a new rental ordinance has centered on the line between protecting tenants and expanding city authority too far.
Under the new rules, landlords must register rental properties with the city and usually submit them to inspection, a requirement critics say may add expense and erode privacy.
Here's what to know
City leaders adopted the Rental Registration Program in early September to address poorly maintained rentals and owners who do not complete repairs, according to The Desert Sun.
The city has roughly 6,500 rental units, and the new rules require registration and generally one inspection every five years.
Much of the dispute centers on how inspections would work. The ordinance calls for both exterior and interior reviews, but any entry into a unit must follow state law, meaning tenants have to consent first.
Ashley Valenzuela, a Desert Hot Springs property manager, said opposition among the owners she works with has been widespread.
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"Every single property owner I've managed for and talked to is against it," Valenzuela said, per The Desert Sun. "They are putting a blanket system over responsible landlords — and tenants as well — and subjecting everybody to this. They are putting it under the disguise that it is going to beautify the city."
City council members, however, have described the program as an effort to protect tenants and reduce blight.
Mayor Scott Matas said that over his 19 years on the council, he has received many calls from tenants about problems with landlords, The Desert Sun reported. He added, "Sometimes they're valid, sometimes they're not. We've talked about this at many different city councils that I've served with: What do we do to protect tenants?"
More background
This kind of rental oversight is not unique to Desert Hot Springs.
Indio enacted a comparable law in February, while Los Angeles and Pasadena are among the cities that already require rental properties to be registered and inspected on a recurring basis.
Another concern for owners is the prospect of added city fees, which they say may filter through to tenants in the form of steeper rents.
Valenzuela said the city's added charges could come at a particularly difficult time: "Those costs will place still more upward pressure on rents at a time when tenants are already struggling."
What's being done?
Supporters on the Desert Hot Springs City Council have portrayed the ordinance as a way to address blight while protecting renters.
From their perspective, earlier intervention could help stop smaller issues from turning into unsafe housing conditions or broader neighborhood decline.
The city had not yet finalized the program's fees. Staff proposed a $100 registration fee per property, which the city estimated would bring in around $650,000 over five years, along with a $60 self-certification fee expected to generate another $39,000.
Violations could carry penalties ranging from $1,000 to $3,000, depending on repeat citations. The fee schedule is set for a city vote on October 6.
At a July meeting, The Desert Sun reported that Councilmember Dirk Voss rejected warnings raised by critics, saying, "All the negative impacts that people perceive to be there, that made the comment today, are in fact un-factual. They are simply not true. You are not going to see increases in rent, you're not going to see people kicked out to the curb. You're not going to have these things."
For renters and owners trying to navigate restrictive housing and HOA rules, it may help to start with communication and local policy changes.
As the city moves toward implementation, Matas acknowledged that the ordinance will not satisfy everyone. "We're five people that live in our community, trying to make the best decisions we can," he said. "Some people are going to be upset with the decisions we make and others will be happy."
Where can I learn more?
To see how other cities and communities are handling tenant protections, landlord obligations, and property rules, read on.
• In Redwood City, Calif., voters are weighing rent cap and tenant protections on the November ballot.
• In Arizona, lawmakers have proposed indoor temperature protections for renters during extreme heat.
• In one city, residents pushed back after a compliance officer's rules raised questions about enforcement.
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