Over 200 people rallied in Courthouse square this weekend in support of passing a rent control ordinance in Redwood City. A unifying sentiment among the crowd was that rents are rising much faster than incomes are in the area, forcing many long time residents to pack up their families and look somewhere more affordable. And some small business owners in attendance voiced concern that the wages they could afford to pay their employees were not sufficient to meet the rising cost of living in RWC.
Further, rising rents are leaving some residents feeling like they are trapped into tolerating sub-par living standards. “The situation leads people to stay in dangerous or unfortunate conditions because they feel like if they speak up, their landlord might retaliate by raising rent,” said Redwood City resident, Paige Scott.
There is also significant concern that not enough of the new development in Redwood City is designated as affordable housing. For instance, The Lane on the Boulevard, a new 141-unit apartment community, only has 5 designated affordable housing units. The rest start at $2,600/month for a studio.
Despite the march of over 200 people this weekend, the City does not appear to have any immediate plans to discuss the topic of rent control.
Source: San Mateo County Daily Journal
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