Oakland

Opinion: Vote Yes on Prop. 10: Repeal California’s Anti-Rent Control Law

Published

7 years ago

October 30, 2018

California, the state with the highest rents and most evictions, is the battleground for rent control this mid-term election. The real estate industry and landlord organizations in their insatiable greed have spent $50 million so far flooding TV and media with all manner of lies and deceptions to retain a 23-year landlord-lobbied law that prohibits cities from enacting regulations on rent increases.

Under the Costa Hawkins law, owners can mandate immediate $1,000 or more rent increases—with no limits—and that cannot be protested.

The major factor in California’s runaway rent explosion causing widespread evictions and displacement of households throughout the state is Costa Hawkins.
Repeal of the 23-year-old Costa Hawkins State Housing Act is long overdue.

Costa Hawkins was enacted by the Legislature in 1995, pushed by landlord lobbyists as a response to rent control laws enacted in 1979 in Berkeley, Santa Monica, and San Francisco.

The purpose of Costa Hawkins was to “kill” rent controls by blanketly exempting rented houses and condominiums from ever having their rent regulated; by classifying as “new” and exempting “forever” any rental units built since 1995 (1983 in Oakland) from ever being rent-controlled; and by requiring that whenever any unit under rent control becomes vacant, the landlord cannot be prohibited from charging the new tenant any rent the landlord chooses to impose. (Many people currently renting houses or condominiums are receiving $1,000 per month increases overnight.)

Costa Hawkins also imposes “vacancy de-control”—which means that over time practically all rental units will have their rent amounts reset at the highest possible levels by greedy landlords, thereby nullifying the effect of any rent protections.

Proposition 10 is the result of many years of struggle by pro-tenant forces to remove the onerous Costa-Hawkins restrictions from state law and to restore to local cities and counties the ability to establish equitable laws and regulations as the locale may feel are needed to protect renters and rental units.

Proposition 10 does not make nor establish any new laws. Its repeal will only remove the existing statewide prohibitions that currently prevent cities and counties from being able to make needed laws to regulate rent increases.

This is all that Prop 10 does. The airways, radio, TV, and people’s mailboxes are filled with lies and deceptions by landlords, developers, and owners aimed at misleading people to vote against their own good and leave avaricious landlords and owners completely “free” to continue their wars of greed against renters without local governments having the ability to impose any restrictions or regulations.

If Prop 10 fails, rents that have tripled in many areas over the last decade will continue without limit and the displacement crisis that grips the city will see no end. Woe to all tenants if a majority “buy” into the lies being fed by avaricious landlords and thieving real estate interests.

Why anyone would vote “no” to Proposition 10 against repeal of this horrendous scam law is immensely troubling.

James E Vann is co-founder of the Oakland Tenants Union and a member of the Homeless Advocacy Working Group.

James Vann

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Oakland Post: Week of April 1 – 7, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 1 – 7, 2026

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5 hours ago

April 6, 2026

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

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March 22, 2026

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Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

3 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC