By CCT STAFF

As landlords, including San Luis Obispo City’s housing agency, began spiking rents in advance of a new state law that limits the amount rent can be raised each year, the council held a special meeting to pass an urgency rental ordinance.

In an attempt to protect renters against large increases in rent, on Oct. 8, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 1482, which placed a rental increase cap at 5 percent plus the rate of inflation, for a maximum of 10 percent per year. The cap, however, does not go into effect until Jan. 2020.

In front of the impending restrictions, some landlords sent notices of large rent increases to tenants. The Housing Authority of SLO, with a mission of providing affordable housing, raised some rents 300 percent.

In response to public outrage, on Tuesday, the council voted 4-0 to pass an urgency ordinance, which began immediately. The new regulation mirrors the state’s incoming rental increase restrictions.