Culver City Observer -

A recently formed group called “Protect Culver City” gave notice of intent to the City Council proposing amendments to Culver City Municipal Code, relating to a prohibition on passing of rent control without a vote of the people.

The proposed amendments are as follows:

Section 1. Statement of Findings and Purposes (a) The City Council of Culver City, California has passed an urgency ordinance establishing rent control at 3% per year because they believe that there is going to be an increase of 5,749 new employees to the local job market over the next four years and thus cause substantial pressure on future rental options for residents of Culver City. (b) Rather than resolve the purported rental unit shortage by providing for the immediate building of more housing units in Culver City, the City Council has decided to restrict the rights of owners of residential property by imposing rent control - thus encouraging the sale and further reduction of affordable rental units. (c) The City Council has also created a new rent registry program whereby Culver City is to maintain a massive new database that contains the information of all the rental units in Culver City, the rent amounts, and the tenancy information. (d) By passing this ordinance, the City Council broke their campaign promises to not impose rent control on the city. (e) Therefore, the people hereby amend the Culver City Municipal Code to require voter approval of the recent rent control ordinance and any future attempts to impose rent control on the residents of Culver City.

Section 2. Voter Approval of all Interim or Permanent rent control Measures Section 2.1. Section 15.09.060 is added to Title 15 to the Culver City Municipal Code to read: (a) The City Council shall not pass any ordinance establishing either an interim or permanent rent control measure or a prohibition on the increase in residential rents unless and until that proposed rent control measure is submitted to the electorate and approved by a majority vote. (b) All ordinances that establish either an interim or permanent rent control measure or prohibit the increase in residential rents imposed after Jan. 1, 2019 shall cease to be imposed unless and until approved by the electorate.

The process spelled out by the California State Elections Code will require a review by the city attorney and the group will be required to secure enough signatures from registered voters in Culver City to be placed on the ballot.

City Clerk Jeremy Green said the number of signatures require will depend on several issues but normally it is between 10-15 percent.

Ron Bassilian who heads the group is also an announced candidate for the 37th Congressional District currently held by Congresswoman Karen Bass.