PREPARED BY: BRIAN HICKEY DATE OF MEETING: 06/15/2026
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER (1) ADOPTING A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL ACCEPTING A CERTIFICATE OF SUFFICIENCY OF SIGNATURES ON A PETITION FOR AN INITIATIVE ORDINANCE TO IMPOSE RENT CONTROL AND TO ESTABLISH JUST-CAUSE EVICTION CRITERIA (INCLUDING MOBILEHOMES); AND (2) CONSIDER ADDITIONAL ACTIONS TO (A) ADOPT THE INITIATIVE ORDINANCE, (B) SUBMIT THE INITIATIVE ORDINANCE TO THE VOTERS OF SAN PABLO AT THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 3, 2026, OR (C) ORDER A REPORT PURSUANT TO ELECTIONS CODE SECTION 9212
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff recommend that the City Council:
1. Adopt the attached resolution (Attachment 1) accepting a Certificate of Sufficiency of Signatures on a Petition for an Initiative Ordinance to Impose Rent Control and to Establish Just-Cause Eviction Criteria (including mobilehomes); and
2. Order a report pursuant to Elections Code Section 9215 via minute order.
Alternatively, if the City Council does not order the report, the City Council must take one of the other actions required by Elections Code Section 9215:
a. Adopt the Initiative Ordinance without alteration; or
b. Adopt a resolution calling for submission of the Initiative Ordinance to the City of San Pablo Voters.
Body
BACKGROUND
On December 15, 2025, the City received a Notice of Intent to Circulate a Petition per Elections Code Section 9202 (the "Initiative") and a formal written request for preparation of a ballot title and summary of the measure. As requested by the proponents of the Initiative and as required by Elections Code Section 9203, a Ballot Title and Summary was prepared by the City Attorney and returned to the proponents by the Deputy City Clerk on December 30, 2025. The Notice of Intent to Circulate Petition and the title and summary of the proposed measure was subsequently posted in the three public places designated for posting in San Pablo Municipal Code Section 1.16.020 and published in the West County Times on January 15, 2026.
Upon completion of publication and posting, the Petition was circulated for signatures pursuant to Elections Code Section 9207. At the time the Petition was published, there were 13,247 registered voters in the City of San Pablo. Accordingly, pursuant to Elections Code Section 9215, in order to qualify for the ballot, the Petition required signatures from 1,325 registered voters in San Pablo (10% of the City's registered voters). The Petition was returned to the City Clerk’s Office on May 7, 2026, with 2,441 unverified signatures, which was within 180 days from receipt of the Ballot Title and Summary as required by Elections Code Section 9208. The Deputy City Clerk then delivered the Petition and signatures to the Contra Costa County Elections Department with a request that the County Elections Department determine whether the total number of valid signatures on the Petition met or exceeded 1,325 as required by law. By letter dated June 10, 2026, the County Elections Department notified the City that the Petition contained sufficient valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.
The proposed initiative would limit housing rent increases in the City, with limited exceptions, impose additional eviction procedures, and require a new Tenant Safety Plan along with a fee on landlords to fund this new program.
CERTIFICATE OF SUFFICIENCY
Since the County has verified that the Petition contains more than the requisite number of signatures to qualify for the ballot, staff recommends that the City Council approve a Resolution accepting the Certificate of Sufficiency of Signatures on the Petition this evening.
OTHER OPTIONS RELATED TO THE INITIATIVE
Staff requests that the City Council also determine which option to pursue per Elections Code Section 9215:
(a) Adopt the Initiative Ordinance without alteration, and without submitting it to the voters;
(b) Submit the Initiative Ordinance, without alteration, to the voters at the election scheduled for November 3, 2026; or
(c) Order a report on the Initiative Ordinance’s effects in accordance with Elections Code Section 9212. If the Council chooses this option, it must receive and review that report within 30 days, and then choose either option (a) or (b) above within 10 days after that. The Council may order this report via motion.
Staff believes that it is necessary to order the report referenced in section (c) above. At this time, the potential impacts of adoption of the Initiative Ordinance are unknown. There may be impacts and costs associated with adoption, administration, and enforcement of the Initiative Ordinance that staff recommends examining prior to adoption or submittal to the voters.
Staff therefore recommends ordering a report pursuant to Elections Code 9212 via a motion and minute order as identified in section (c) above. Alternatively, the City Council could adopt the Initiative Ordinance without alteration or adopt a resolution calling for its submission to the voters.
FISCAL IMPACT
Staff anticipates that the cost of the report prepared pursuant to Elections Code Section 9212 would be approximately $32,500. Staff has previously worked with RSG Solutions to prepare similar information for the City, but that information is over two years old and the City would need RSG to update it to provide the Council with current and accurate information to inform any future decision. The cost of the RSG report will be covered with one time funding from Fund 190, City Manager’s Contingency Operating Reserve from FY 2025-26 budgeted funds.
Contra Costa County scales election costs based on the number of contests. Currently based on the number of expected contests, the estimated cost of adding this initiative to the November 3, 2026, ballot is approximately $9,897 - $12,096. The total estimated cost to conduct a consolidated election, including this initiative is estimated to be between $59,382 to $72,578, which is included in the proposed FY 2026-27 City Clerk budget.
The estimated cost for a stand-alone election is $9-$14 per registered voter or approximately $115,740 - $179,760.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 - Resolution Accepting Certificate of Sufficiency
Exhibit A to Att 1 - Clerk’s Certificate
Att 2 - Initial Ballot Title and Summary Request (Including Initiative Ordinance)
Att 3 - City Attorney Ballot Title and Summary
Att 4 - Resolution Adopting Initiative Ordinance
Exhibit A to Att 4 - Initiative for Adoption
Att 5 - Resolution Placing the Initiative Ordinance on the Ballot for November 3, 2026