Re: “Santa Ana City Council to hear experts on rent control” [Business, Feb. 4]: Great to see Santa Ana exploring rising housing costs and the underlying fundamentals that have propelled them. Disappointing though, that they will be convoluting the discussion on housing affordability with the topic of rent control.
It is important to consider the overall impact rent control will have on homeowners, businesses and industry both inside and outside of city limits. Multifamily housing is not an “island” and these restrictions will have a negative and sustained impact for all.
Simply put, rent control does not result in more affordable housing and rent control does not expand housing affordability. There are several options readily available that will make an immediate and sustained impact in the housing climate both at present and in the future.
From expanding the Section 8 voucher program’s reach, delivering more purpose-built affordable and workforce housing options to continuing to add conventional rental and for sale housing stock, the only solution is to plan, add and continue to plan and add.
By denouncing rent control, Santa Ana leaders have the opportunity to ensure that the city continues on a path of progress and prosperity that always carries with it the fine culture and history that make the city special and unique.
— Nicholas Dunlap, immediate past president, Apartment Association of Orange County, Santa Ana
It’s a free market
As a small landlord, I am responsible for maintenance, repair, handling tenant scrabbles, trying to rectify the lack of conservation on utilities, which the landlord pays for, and being woke up in the middle of the night by any of my tenants that has a problem that they think has to be solved right away. The city of Santa Ana does not provide me with the funds to fix what needs to be fixed nor do they have a number I can tell my tenants to call in the middle of the night.
Therefore I should be allowed within the confines of the existing laws to run my business how I see fit which includes charging whatever I think is a fair amount for the rent. We have a free market in this country and if a landlord charges too much for the rent he/she will not get any tenants. That means that the state, county, or city should keep their nose out of the landlords business.
— Nicholas Berger, Westminster
