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The San Mateo County Elections Office has shed light on why a rent control measure intended to cap annual rent increases and impose “just cause” evictions failed to make the November 2024 ballot, citing issues with the validity of signatures.
But advocates remain intent on continuing the fight.
Earlier this year, a grassroots effort led by community members, including leaders from Faith in Action Bay Area, gathered more than 7,000 signatures supporting a new rent control measure. The proposed “Redwood City Fair and Affordable Housing Initiative” aimed to implement stricter rent control laws and enhanced tenant eviction protections.
It initially passed a preliminary count but was rejected on July 8 during a detailed review by the San Mateo County Elections Office.
“Whatever the results, it’s clear that reasonable rent control and tenant protections are needed in Redwood City,” said Clara Jaeckel, a leader at Faith in Action Bay Area and one of the proponents of the proposed ballot measure.
Faith in Action collected resident signatures through various community outreach methods, including door-to-door outreach and by visiting public spaces such as Red Morton Park.
According to Jaeckel, the organizers confirmed with each individual whether they were registered to vote in Redwood City before collecting their signatures. She said that before turning in the petitions, the organization hired a firm specializing in gathering signatures. The firm reviewed several samples to check batches of signatures and found validity rates ranging from 73% to 85%.
In May, advocates for the measure turned in 6,406 signatures, about 150% of the number needed to qualify for the ballot.
However, the County Elections Office only accepted 4,095 valid signatures, making the validity rate 63.9%.
The county used its Election Management System, or EMS, to verify the signatures. The system searches for each voter by the name or address provided on the petition. If the voter is found, the county compares the signature on file with the one on the petition.
A signature is accepted valid if it matches and if the voter meets the following conditions: they are not marked as canceled or pending in EMS, they did not sign the petition more than once, they were registered at the listed residential address at the time of signing, and that address is within the district.
According to Mark Church, the San Mateo County chief elections officer, over 700 signers did not live within the Redwood City “city” limits but rather in “unincorporated” Redwood City. The remainder of the rejections followed the typical pattern for a petition of this size.
Faith in Action Bay Area has teamed up with a lawyer to investigate further. The group is determined to continue its efforts for affordable housing, emphasizing that the problem of skyrocketing rents remains unresolved.
According to a report released by the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project, Redwood City residents are experiencing an unprecedented affordability crisis, with the median rent for an apartment over $3,250 monthly. Its findings also suggest that the city’s rental market is dominated by corporate investors, many of whom are based outside the city.
Jaeckel points out that many families, seniors, and essential workers are being pushed out of the city due to unaffordable housing costs. She recalls receiving a strong response from community members while collecting signatures in support of the measure.
“We will continue our work to protect the dignity of Redwood City renters and keep families in their homes,” Jaeckel added.
Already registered to vote in San Mateo County and need to check your registration status? Go here to confirm your address and other details before you cast your vote on Nov. 5.
