Marin Organizing Committee’s hard work has paid off as San Rafael, Novato, and Marin County have enacted rent increase moratoriums in areas most affected by the coronavirus pandemic. MOC has advocated for a freeze on rent increases since last summer, when it became clear that the economic effects of COVID-19 would be leaving renters saddled with thousands of dollars of debt. With statewide protections on the verge of expiring, MOC leaders redoubled their efforts in the new year. On January 18th, 200 MOC leaders gathered on Zoom for an action with Marin County Supervisor Dennis Rodoni and San Rafael City Councilmembers Rachel Kertz and Maika Llorens Gulati. At the action, MOC asked these elected officials to commit to working with MOC and to support rent freeze ordinances.
The next day, on January 19th, the San Rafael City Council voted unanimously to enact a moratorium on rent increases in the Canal neighborhood through the end of 2021. And the following week, on January 26th, the Novato City Council followed suit, voting unanimously to approve a rent freeze in three city census tracts hardest hit by the pandemic that would also last through the end of the year.
On February 9th, the Marin County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a ban on rent increases in parts of unincorporated Marin County, thereby including those who reside outside city limits who would be left unprotected by the Novato and San Rafael ordinances.
These emergency measures will provide thousands of families much-needed time to recover from the devastating financial impacts of the pandemic. MOC leaders will continue to fight for expanded emergency protections and an equitable and smooth distribution of rental assistance funds to renters and landlords.
Read more:
- January 1, 2021: Marin activists seek rent freeze during coronavirus crisis, Marin Independent Journal [pdf]
- January 21, 2021: San Rafael bans rent hikes in pandemic-stressed Canal, Marin Independent Journal [pdf]
- January 31, 2021: Novato enacts limited rent freeze for pandemic relief, Marin Independent Journal [pdf]
- February 6, 2021: Marin County weighs pandemic rent freeze in 2 census tracts, Marin Independent Journal [pdf]
- February 6, 2021: Marin County weighs pandemic rent freeze in 2 census tracts, The Mercury News [pdf]
- February 7, 2021: Marin Voice: County supervisors should approve rent-increase moratorium – by MOC's own Sami Mericle and Marta Villela, Marin Independent Journal [pdf]
- February 9, 2021: Marin supervisors freeze rent in parts of county, Marin Independent Journal [pdf]