Santa Barbara property owners, attorney Barry Cappello plan lawsuit to block rent freeze
Santa Barbara property owners, led by attorney Barry Cappello, are planning a lawsuit to challenge the city's recently implemented rent freeze.Summary
Attorney Barry Cappello announced a planned lawsuit against the city of Santa Barbara to block a rent freeze enacted by the City Council in January, which is set to last through December 31, 2026. Cappello, along with property owners and the Santa Barbara Rental Property Association, argues the freeze constitutes an unconstitutional taking and violates due process. They claim it will negatively impact housing stock and property values.
Former City Councilwoman Alejandra Gutierrez emphasized that many landlords are local families relying on rental income for retirement, and policies ignoring this will worsen the housing shortage. The Santa Barbara Rental Property Association asserts the freeze reduces property values and is therefore illegal.
Stanley Tzankov of the Santa Barbara Tenants Union countered that the lawsuit is a pressure tactic and that most small property owners are already exempt from the freeze. Cappello maintains that rising costs are burdening property owners and that rent stabilization is economically unsound, vowing to pursue the legal challenge until the freeze is overturned.
(Source：Santa Barbara News Press)