Special Joint Meeting Santa Monica City Council & Rent Control Board July 27, 2026

The City of Santa Monica held a special joint meeting of the City Council and Rent Control Board on July 27, 2026, to discuss proposed charter amendments related to tenant protections and rent control measures slated for the November ballot. The primary focus was on Resolution 3, which proposed limiting evictions based on new occupants, extending just cause protections to single-unit dwellings, and updating owner move-in regulations. Staff presented concerns about potential legal challenges to the amendments, particularly regarding the removal of the death and incapacity trigger and the broadening of protected occupants, noting these provisions had not been tested in court and could invite litigation. After deliberation, the Rent Control Board voted to defer advancing the contentious parts of Resolution 3 for further study and community input, while the City Council voted to rescind the original resolution and direct staff to return with a revised measure focusing only on extending just cause protections to single-unit dwellings and updating owner move-in regulations. The meeting underscored the complexity of balancing tenant protections with legal risks and the need for additional community engagement before finalizing changes to the rent control charter.