Tenant protections

Landlord of two Merced rentals since 2005; called the proposal premature and urged the city to analyze data from its new stepped-up inspections first.

Spoke in Spanish through a translator, saying he is happy living in Merced and urging more study before acting.

Retiree landlord of one property who loses money monthly; asked for fairness to small landlords and to delay the rental registry.

Landlord of one unit for 13 years who spent $18,000 on a roof; worried K.1 and ordinance 8.53 would sweep up good landlords over minor violations like a basketball hoop.

Called the proposal a wish list with no fiscal analysis; said rent caps can't touch post-1995 housing and would hit small owners hardest, and courts are striking down similar relocation mandates.

Property manager of about 185 units; said existing ordinances suffice, Merced has some of the state's most affordable housing, and more rules would scare off investors and raise rents.

Supported three new programs — relocation assistance, eviction protection, and right of first refusal — and criticized slumlords charging high rents for substandard homes.

Cited city data showing 53% of renter households are cost-burdened; called for a rental registry, housing trust fund, and an anti-slumlord committee with tenant seats.

Real estate agent of nearly 30 years; said existing laws are shrinking rental inventory, evictions are up and tenant-caused, and cited a UC Irvine study on rent regulation backfiring.

Nearly 50-year resident and property manager; asked the council to kill the proposal, saying it treats every landlord as a bad one and would shrink housing supply.

Thanked Xiong for the presentation and urged relocation assistance, right of first refusal, right to counsel, a rental registry, and proactive inspections, citing 1,403 unrepresented eviction cases.

District 6 resident who lived under Concord's ordinances for 40 years; opposed the wish list, citing open-ended costs and legal risks for small owners.

Property owner and Fuller Center for Housing board member; asked the city to lower its own costs on affordable housing before burdening landlords, noting repayment timelines stretched to 55 years.

Retired small landlord of two properties; said he keeps rents below market and a single plumbing issue cost more than a year's rent — asked the council to stop K.1.

Shared her family's homelessness experience after raising housing-condition concerns and asked that renter protections remain a priority.

She asked the city to put at least $800,000 into an eviction protection program that also helps undocumented residents and people facing tenancy terminations.

Speaking in Spanish, she supported the eviction protection program, citing residents in need, street conditions, and the need for more trees and recreation.

She reiterated support for $250,000 in tenant protections and urged the council to remember undocumented residents who don't qualify for existing help.

Asked for $250,000 for tenant relocation assistance when owners don't pay, plus $1 million for an eviction protection program for low-income tenants regardless of immigration status.

Asked where Measure V fits in the budget presentation and voiced support for the tenant protection funding requests.

Shared her family's experience fleeing an uninhabitable home and asked for a $500,000 tenant relocation program and $2 million eviction protection program in the budget.