When California voters vote on expanding rent control through Prop 21, it won’t be the first time. Throughout the years, Californians have voted on numerous other propositions on rent control, for example Prop 10, which was proposed and ultimately defeated in 2018.

What it does

Rent controls are laws that limit how much landlords can increase the rent they charge tenants. Prop 10 would have repealed a state law called the Contra-Hawkins housing act.

The Contra-Hawkins housing act is a state law that places restrictions on the types of homes cities and counties can regulate the rents of.

Contra-Hawkins states that rent control laws cannot be placed on both single-family homes and any newly built housing (defined as housing completed after 1995). Also, Contra-Hawkins bans laws that dictate the amount of rent landlords can charge new tenants.

Pros

A “yes” would have repealed that state law, allowing cities and counties to place rent controls on any form of housing.

Cons

A “no” vote would have kept the Contra-Hawkins housing act in place.

Voting results

With a vote of 40.57% “yes” to 59.43% “no,” Proposition 10 was defeated. Currently, cities like San Francisco and San Jose, continue to enforce rent control laws that limit how much landlords can increase rents for older residential buildings.