Proposition 21 wants to establish rent control on rental properties that are at least 15 years old. A vote yes for Proposition 21 is essential for California residents to continue being able to afford housing by restricting landlords on how much they can increase rent every year.
California is one of the most expensive places to live in the United States, with the average cost of rent in Long Beach alone being $2,106 according to rentcafe.com.
Now with COVID-19 on the rise and with millions of people out of work, people are struggling to be able to make ends meet.
With the high cost of rent and people being out of work due to COVID-19, many California residents are unable to afford rent and other living essentials. Proposition 21 will protect California residents from being unable to afford housing and homelessness, an increasing problem in California.
Proposition 21 would also help protect cities from gentrification.
With minimum wage at $12.00 in California, most residents are unable to afford housing and many college students in particular need to have multiple roommates to be able to live in an apartment.
With the average college student in $32,731 of student loan debt according to educationdata.org, students are struggling to pay it off, buy essentials for living such as food, and afford rent.
This is a big problem for college students that stays with them after they graduate, with the worry of finances.
With Proposition 21 being passed, this will help students and single home families living in California, giving residents relief from more financial burden.
There are also many supporters for Proposition 21. According to CalMatters, the California Democratic Party, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and the Eviction Defense Network are all in support of Proposition 21.
The opposition to Proposition 21 wants to raise prices so they can make changes to the properties that they own. Changes like altering the look of the apartments is important, but the people are more important. The people and their well being is more important than beautifying small aspects of a residential property.
While having rent control could postpone creating more rental properties in the near future, it is more important for people to be able to afford housing that is available right now. There is no real point in making more housing if there are homeless people that cannot afford to live in any place with rising prices.
With the upcoming election just a day away, it is important to go cast your vote and to vote yes for Proposition 21.