Marin County voters reject rent control measures in three municipalities

Rent control has gone down in defeat in Tuesday's election in three municipalities in Marin County: Larkspur, San Anselmo, and Fairfax. The results below are current as of Friday afternoon.

Larkspur: Measure K in Larkspur proposed tightening the rent cap established earlier this year by a voter-approved ordinance. The measure sought to replace the existing 7% cap on annual rent increases with a stricter limit of 60% of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or 3%, whichever is lower, while introducing further landlord-tenant regulations. Voters rejected Measure K, with 63% opposing it. Opponents, including property owners and industry groups, argued that stricter rent caps could deter investment in rental housing and reduce housing availability. The California Apartment Association opposed Measure K and supported efforts to defeat it through CAA's Issues Committee.

Fairfax: Fairfax voters opted to repeal a 2022 rent control ordinance by approving Measure I with 66% of the vote. The repealed ordinance had limited annual rent increases to 60% of the CPI or 5%, whichever was lower, and included "just cause" eviction rules. Supporters of the repeal contended that the ordinance placed excessive restrictions on property owners and created administrative challenges that discouraged rental offerings. This vote removes the rent control and "just cause" provisions from local law in Fairfax. CAA actively supported the campaign to repeal the ordinance through its Issues Committee.

San Anselmo: Voters turned down two measures related to local rent control and landlord-tenant regulations. Measure N, which was opposed by 65% of voters, aimed to enact a rent-control ordinance passed earlier this year by the Town Council, capping annual rent increases for triplexes and larger residential properties at 60% of the CPI or 5%, whichever is lower. Measure O, which would have imposed penalties for no-fault tenancy terminations at properties containing three or more units, was also rejected, with 69.06% of voters opposing it. Critics expressed concerns that the measures could reduce the supply of rental housing and create financial burdens for housing providers.