Listen to this note:
The organization Faith in Action Bay Area does not intend to give in to the “No” vote from the San Mateo County Elections Office, which reported on Monday that the proposed rent control resolution in Redwood City was rejected from appearing on the ballot because it did not have the required number of signatures.
In that regard, leaders of the organization who are also residents of Redwood City said they will exhaust all resources to ensure that city residents can vote for a rent control resolution.
“We were shocked and disappointed to receive the notice from the city last night. We are consulting with our attorneys and will be requesting more information from the city and county so that we can explore all available options at our disposal to address the county’s findings,” said Linda Goldman Leeb, a Redwood City resident and member of Faith in Action Bay Area.
“At this point, I can tell you that this fight is not over because we are committed to continuing our work to protect the dignity of Redwood City tenants and keep families in their homes,” she said.
Goldman said grassroots leaders worked hard to collect thousands of valid signatures over the past few months, and by knocking on doors it became clear that thousands of voters want reasonable rent control in Redwood City.
“In my own experience knocking on doors, the vast majority of people I met were very supportive of the measure. And when collecting signatures, we asked each person if they were registered to vote in Redwood City,” she said.
He also noted that the findings of the San Mateo County Elections Office “were a complete surprise,” given that they submitted nearly 150 percent of the signatures needed to appear on the ballot.
“We will request more information from the Elections Office regarding the signatures that were deemed invalid,” he said.
In that regard, she said she knows that reasonable rent control and tenant protections are needed in Redwood City and that there is important work to be done to ensure that everyone in the community can remain in their homes and have their voices heard in the upcoming electoral process.
The civil coalitions presented 6,395 voter signatures to the Redwood City clerk with the idea of seeking to keep the city affordable, diverse and vibrant for those who live, work or study in it.
Leaders of the Bay Area Faith in Action organization and community allies said the proposal would seek to cap rent increases at a reasonable amount so residents could focus on making ends meet without fear of their rent going up each year, while ensuring a fair return for mom-and-pop landlords.
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