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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/24/2026 Item 4a, Townley Hayley Townley <hayleytownley@gmail.com> Sent:Wednesday, To:E-mail Council Website Subject:Rental Registry Study Session 4a Dear Mayor Stewart and City Council, My name is Hayley Townley, and I’m a local real estate professional who works daily with renters, housing seekers, and housing providers here in San Luis Obispo. I care deeply about safe housing, strong neighborhoods, and the long-term health of our local housing market. I appreciate that the City is taking time to study the issue of a potential rental registry before moving forward with any formal program. As you consider a rental registry, I respectfully ask the Council to pause and ensure there is clear, objective data showing that a new program is truly necessary and that it would meaningfully solve a clearly defined problem. I understand there is strong advocacy and very real concern around renter issues. Those voices matter and deserve to be heard. At the same time, new regulations should be grounded in evidence, with a clear “why,” a clear “what,” and a clear measure of success. It’s also important to recognize that a large share of San Luis Obispo rentals are already professionally managed. My understanding is that there are approximately 8,000+ professionally managed rental units in our community. These properties already operate under strict management standards, existing health and safety laws, and state regulations—and they have not been identified as the source of systemic issues that would justify an additional citywide layer of regulation. California also already has strong statewide tenant protections in place. State law limits annual rent increases for most rental housing and includes just cause eviction requirements. That framework applies broadly across our community today, regardless of whether a registry exists. I’m also concerned about where rental registries typically lead. Rental registries are relatively uncommon across California, and in many cases they appear alongside rent control and/or formal inspection programs. My understanding is that of the roughly 35 cities with registries, the vast majority also have rent control or a rental inspection program in place. That pattern matters, because it suggests registries are often part of a broader regulatory framework—not a simple standalone tool. We also can’t ignore the impact on local, small housing providers. Many rental homes are owned by individuals and families who have invested their savings and retirement into these properties. When new layers of fees, reporting, and administrative requirements are added, some owners will choose to exit the rental market altogether. Others may delay maintenance or reinvestment simply due to rising costs and uncertainty. Ultimately, fewer rentals and less reinvestment can lead to higher rents and less availability—the opposite of what our community needs. 1 If the City’s goal is safe, stable housing, then I believe our policies should focus on encouraging investment, maintenance, and the creation of more housing—while using existing tools to address bad actors and real safety concerns. Before moving forward, I urge the City to:  Clearly identify the specific problems a registry is intended to solve, and how success would be measured  Evaluate whether existing enforcement tools, education, and outreach could address the concerns without creating a new regulatory layer  Fully assess long-term administrative costs, staffing needs, and the ongoing burden on both the City and housing providers We all share the goal of safe, stable housing in San Luis Obispo. I’m simply asking that we take a careful, balanced, data-driven approach before adding a program that may increase costs, reduce supply, and unintentionally harm the very people we’re trying to help. Thank you for your time and for your service to our community. I will see you at the meeting next week. Hayley Townley Broker®/Owner COMET REALTY Friendly. Professional. Local. c. 805-440-9194 | t. 805-546-9925 | f. 805-546-9905 1110 California Blvd. Suite #C, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Hayley@CometRealty.com DRE #01042135 “We are not your ordinary real estate company.” 2