PASADENA HOUSING PROVIDERS – STATEMENT ON COURT OF APPEALS
RULING.
Pasadena, December 21, 2025
CALIFORNIA APPEALS COURT OVERTURNS KEY PROVISIONS OF
PASADENA’S MEASURE “H” RENT CONTROL CHARTER AMENDMENT
Pasadena Housing Providers applauds Friday’s decision by the Second
District, Division 7 Appellate Count to repeal key rent control provisions
added to the Pasadena city charter by Measure H. Specifically the Court
agreed that certain provisions of Measure H are pre-empted by state
housing law and Pasadena may not require relocation assistance
payments tied to rent increases on units exempt from local rent control;
and further that the city may not impose additional notice requirements
that modify the eviction process established under state statute.
This decision will also protect the private personal information of tenants
and property owners and prevent public access to that private
information.
Despite the statements during trial by Justice Segal, “that this is the most
unfair discriminatory rent stabilization board that I have ever seen” the
court did not rule on the constitutionality of the rent board’s structure.
However, in a similar case, the Superior Court of Orange County did find
that a board without equal representation was unconstitutional.
“Clearly the ballot measure attempted to overreach and circumvent state
law” said Pasadena Housing Providers member Blake Boyd. “Taken
together it is clear that Measure H needs to be amended to correct these
serious flaws. Creating a balanced board and an efficient housing
Department will restore fairness and accountability. It’s in everybody’s
best interests.”
Recent polling by FM3 indicates that Pasadena voters by a four-to-one
majority strongly favor a balanced rent board with equal representation
by tenants and landlords.
Pasadena Housing Providers has prepared a new charter amendment that
will comply with state law and:
1. Retain rent control and eviction protections for existing tenants.
2. Create a fair rent board with equal number of tenants and landlords.
3. Promote single-family rental housing left empty by Measure H
restrictions.
4. Merge the Rent Stabilization Department into the Housing
Department to reduce bureaucracy and improve accountability.
5. Fix the failed dispute resolution process and the unworkable rent
adjustment petition procedures.
6. Cap rent registration fees to halt unconstrained spending by an
unelected board.
The voters were misled by proponents of Measure H and it’s now time to
correct the flaws and illegal provisions of the charter amendment.
