PREPARED BY: M. RODRIGUEZ AND B.HICKEY DATE OF MEETING: 07/13/2026
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER (1) RECEIVING A REPORT PURSUANT TO ELECTIONS CODE SECTION 9212 ON THE EFFECTS OF 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, OR (B) SUBMIT THE INITIATIVE ORDINANCE TO THE VOTERS OF SAN PABLO AT THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 3, 2026
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
Label
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. Receive the attached report prepared by RSG, Inc. pursuant to Elections Code Section 9212 on the effects of an Initiative Ordinance to Impose Rent Control and to Establish Just-Cause Eviction Criteria (including mobilehomes); and
2. Adopt a resolution calling for submission of the Initiative Ordinance to the City of San Pablo voters pursuant to Elections Code Section 9215(b) and authorizing the Mayor and Vice Mayor to prepare and file the written argument against the Initiative Ordinance on behalf of the City Council pursuant to Elections Code Section 9282(a).
Alternatively, if the City Council does not submit the Initiative Ordinance to the City of San Pablo voters, the City Council must instead adopt the Initiative Ordinance without alteration pursuant to Elections Code Section 9215(a).
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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 were 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, and 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.
Acceptance of Certificate of Sufficiency
On June 15, 2026, the City Council approved Resolution 2026-110 accepting the Certificate of Sufficiency of Signatures and acknowledging that the Initiative qualified for further action pursuant to Elections Code Section 9215. Pursuant to Elections Code Section 9212, the City Council further requested that staff provide an Elections Code 9212 Report (“91212 Report”) on the effects of the Initiative within 30 days.
Elections Code Section 9212 Report
The City retained RSG, Inc. to prepare the Elections Code 9212 Report. As permitted by Elections Code Section 9212(a), the 9212 Report focused on the following specific factors pertaining to the Initiative:
(1) Its fiscal impact;
(2) Its effect on the internal consistency of the City's General Plan and the consistency between the General Plan and the Housing Element; and
(3) Its effect on the use of land, the impact on the availability and location of housing, and the City’s ability to meet its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).
RSG’s analysis and conclusions are contained in the attached 9212 Report and will be presented to the City Council in more detail this evening. Following this evening’s presentation, the 9212 Report will also be published and made available on the City’s website.
Next Steps Regarding the Initiatvie
Following RSG’s presentation of the 9212 Report, the City Council is required to take one of the following actions pursuant to Elections Code Section 9215:
(a) (staff recommendation): Submit the Initiative Ordinance, without alteration, to the voters at the election scheduled for November 3, 2026; or
(b) (alternative action): Adopt the Initiative Ordinance without alteration, and without submitting it to the voters.
Staff recommend adopting the attached resolution submitting the Initiative to the voters at the November 3rd Election (Attachment 5). The proposed resolution also authorizes the Mayor and Vice Mayor to prepare and file a written argument against the Initiative Ordinance on behalf of the City Council
FISCAL IMPACT
Staff anticipate that the cost of the report prepared pursuant to Elections Code Section 9212 will be approximately $32,500. Staff have previously worked with RSG to prepare similar information for the City, but that information is over two years old and the City needed RSG to update it to provide the Council with current and accurate information to inform its future decisions. 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. Elections Code Section 9212 Report (prepared by RSG, Inc.)
Att 2. Resolution 2026-110 Accepting Certificate of Sufficiency
Exh A. To Att 2. Notification of Sufficiency received from the County
Att 3. Initial Ballot Title and Summary Request (Including Initiative Ordinance)
Att 4. City Attorney Ballot Title and Summary
Att 5. Resolution Placing the Initiative Ordinance on the Ballot for November 3, 2026
Exh A to Att 5. Initiative Ordinance
Att 6. Resolution Adopting Initiative Ordinance