A fight over the future of rent control in Pasadena just got real. A group called Pasadena Housing Providers, representing local landlords and property owners, has submitted more than 20,000 signatures for a proposed charter amendment that would significantly rework Measure H, the rent stabilization law Pasadena voters approved in 2022. They need 13,700 of those signatures to be validated to qualify for the ballot.
If it gets there, this could be one of the more consequential local votes Pasadena renters and landlords see in years — so here’s what’s actually on the table.
What Would Change
The proposed Pasadena Fair Housing Charter Amendment would restructure the city’s Rental Housing Board. Right now, it’s an 11-member board made up of seven tenant representatives and four at-large members. Under the new measure, it would shift to equal representation between tenants and landlords, plus one neutral at-large member nominated by the mayor.
It would also fold the independent Rent Stabilization Department into the city’s broader Housing Department, putting it under direct oversight of the City Council and city manager rather than operating independently, with annual audits replacing the department’s current autonomy. Landlord registration fees would be cut roughly in half, with future increases tied to allowable rent growth instead of set independently. The charter language itself would also be trimmed down to about half its current length. The amendment includes a sunset clause, meaning the rewritten Article XVIII would expire on January 1, 2039, unless voters choose to extend it.
What Would Stay the Same
Notably, the core mechanism tenants rely on wouldn’t change: annual rent increases would still be capped at 75% of the Consumer Price Index for the Los Angeles area, with no increases allowed during periods of deflation.
Both Sides Are Already Sparring
Landlord Simon Gibbons, speaking for the campaign behind the measure, framed it as an effort to get “a balanced Rent Board structure, restoring City oversight.” On the other side, original Measure H organizer Ryan Bell pushed back hard, accusing the campaign of “lies and deception” and arguing that many people who signed the petition didn’t realize they were effectively repealing existing tenant protections and eliminating the tenant registry in the process.
What Happens Next
Assuming enough signatures are validated, this wouldn’t go before voters until March 2028 — so there’s a long runway before anyone casts a ballot. But the signature count alone signals a well-organized, well-funded push, and the framing fight between “balanced oversight” and “quietly gutting tenant protections” is likely to define the next year and a half of debate.
For renters and landlords alike, this is worth watching closely rather than tuning out just because the vote is still years away. Whatever ends up on the ballot in 2028 will shape rent stabilization rules in Pasadena for more than a decade. We’ll keep following the signature verification process and report back once the City Clerk confirms whether the measure qualifies.