Council Introduces Rent Review Ordinance as Salary Raise Falls 3-1

San Pablo's City Council advanced the final piece of a two-year tenant protection package Tuesday night, unanimously introducing an ordinance that would create a five-member board to review rent increases exceeding 7% — all while a competing voter-initiated rent control measure heads to the November ballot. The same meeting laid bare the political calculus of governing in a city preparing to ask voters for a sales tax: the council rejected a 10% pay raise for its own members 3-1, with the mayor casting the lone dissent.

• Rent review ordinance introduced unanimously, creating a board to hear disputes over rent hikes above 7%; second reading set for Sept. 21

• California Apartment Association raises seven concerns about the ordinance, including a potential conflict with state case law; staff to review before next meeting

• Council rejects 10% salary increase 3-1, with vice mayor warning a raise would be "not a good look" while pursuing a sales tax

• San Pablo adopts CCW permit fees, becoming the last city in Contra Costa County to bring concealed carry administration in-house

• Council honors Latonya Fisher, a 28-year City Manager's office employee who passed away Aug. 14, adjourning the meeting in her memory

Rent Review Board Takes Shape, but Industry Pushback Looms

The basics: The proposed ordinance (Chapter 9.60) would establish a formal rent review process for any rental unit where the landlord seeks to raise rent more than 7% within a 12-month period. Tenants could request a review that proceeds through intake, conciliation, mediation, and ultimately a public hearing before a five-member rent review board composed of two tenants, two housing providers who own property and reside in San Pablo, and one non-rental homeowner.

Why it matters: This is the capstone of a multi-pronged tenant protection effort that already includes just cause for eviction, anti-harassment protections, mobile home grant assistance, and rental housing counseling. The ordinance covers units that fall outside state rent cap law AB 1482, including corporate-owned single-family homes, ADUs, duplexes, and rented condos. With a separate voter-initiated rent control measure also heading to November, whichever framework survives will reshape San Pablo's rental market.

Where things stand: Kieran Slaughter, economic development and housing manager, walked the council through the program's enforcement mechanism. "If the property owner bails on the meeting, doesn't show up, then the tenant basically has the opportunity to have that rent increase voided," he said. "On the flip side, if there's a proposed rental increase and the tenant doesn't appear and doesn't participate in the process, then that rent increase is valid."

Slaughter drew a clear distinction from the ballot measure: "The program provides rent review process, not a price fixed hard rent cap. The city council can modify the program as needed if we need to make some tweaks or adjustments."

The other side: Jennifer Rizzo, representing the California Apartment Association, presented seven specific recommendations. Among them: clarifying that tenants must continue paying rent during a pending review, requiring the city to publish bilingual notice templates before mandating landlord compliance, limiting hearing participants to the housing provider and tenant only, allowing non-resident housing providers to serve on the board, and removing language that would permit a future rental registry without a separate council vote. Her sharpest concern targeted a burden-of-proof provision: "There is a section 9.60.80(b) that states that a housing provider carries the burden of proof that an adverse action was not in retaliation. And that provision generally conflicts with the California law governing presumption and burden of proof — Fisher versus City of Berkeley."

City Attorney Brian Hickey, hearing the industry recommendations for the first time, told the council he would review them before the second reading but recommended introducing the ordinance on schedule.

Councilmember Abel Pineda supported the ordinance while signaling he wanted more: "I'm not opposed to it. Everyone on this council knows. I would like to see some different things beyond this, but I understand where we're at."

Decisions: The ordinance was introduced 4-0 (For: Ponce, Pineda, Xavier, Pabon-Alvarado; Absent: Cruz) with the first reading waived.

What's next: Second reading is scheduled for Sept. 21. If adopted, the ordinance takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. Staff and the city attorney will review the California Apartment Association's seven recommendations before that vote.

Pay Raise or Bad Optics? Council Says No — Barely

Why it matters: With a sales tax measure heading to November voters, the council faced an uncomfortable question: should members give themselves a 10% raise — from $1,422 to $1,565 per month — at the same time they're asking residents for more revenue?

Where things stand: The city manager presented two options: Option 1 (no adjustment) and Option 2 (a 10% increase costing roughly $5,000 per year net). San Pablo currently ranks fourth of 16 general law cities in Contra Costa County for council salary. The last adjustment was a 30% increase in October 2024. State law (Government Code §36516a) caps increases at 5% per calendar year.

The debate exposed a genuine philosophical divide. Vice Mayor Rita Xavier was blunt: "When we are asking residents to support the city with more funds, that is sales tax, it is not a good look to give ourselves a raise." She noted her own total income is only $900 per month from Social Security plus her council pay.

Mayor Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado cast the issue differently, arguing the raise was about future accessibility, not current members: "People don't come here to make money for sure, right? You can't really live off of $1,500 a month. But when you do have to live off of that, I don't think that we should say no to it because you may not need it, but somebody else that will come in that place will definitely need it."

Councilmember Pineda initially seconded the mayor's alternate motion for Option 2 but ultimately withdrew his support, swayed by the optics argument. He acknowledged the tension: "There are individuals that may not be feeling encouraged to even want to run for their city council. I'm thinking about single parent households. I'm thinking about also younger individuals who also maybe have seen that this position is typically held by elder individuals."

Decisions: Councilmember Patricia Ponce moved for Option 1 (no adjustment), seconded by Vice Mayor Xavier. The motion passed 3-1 (For: Ponce, Pineda, Xavier; Against: Pabon-Alvarado; Absent: Cruz). The mayor's motion to continue the item to a meeting when all five members were present failed to receive a second.

What's next: Per adopted council policy, the salary review will recur automatically in the 2028 election cycle.

San Pablo Takes Over CCW Permits, Adds Unique Gun Safety Training

Why it matters: San Pablo was the last city in Contra Costa County to bring concealed carry weapon permit administration in-house from the county sheriff's office, completing a countywide transition.

Where things stand: Captain Lafter of the San Pablo Police Department presented a four-tier fee schedule: standard two-year permits ($250 initial application), judicial three-year, custodial, and reserve four-year permits, each with subcategories for issuance, renewal, and modification. Staff estimated roughly two applications per month from San Pablo residents — only city residents are eligible.

The city is also launching optional quarterly gun safety training for CCW holders at its new range facility. "This is something that no other agency in the county is offering," Captain Lafter said. "We here understand the great resource that we have next door when it comes to our range."

Councilmember Pineda suggested the city consider offering fee discounts for permit holders who participate in the training: "Maybe offering a discount on the renewal or something like that, because you participated in this training and we saw with our own eyes that you're a responsible gun handler." All fee revenue stays local, flowing to the general fund.

Decisions: The resolution was adopted 4-0 (For: Ponce, Pineda, Xavier, Pabon-Alvarado; Absent: Cruz). No public comment was received.

Council Mourns Latonya Fisher

The council held an extended ceremonial tribute for Latonya Fisher, who served in the City Manager's office from 1998 until her retirement on Aug. 12, 2026 — just two days before her death on Aug. 14. Her husband Derek and extended family attended the meeting.

Each council member offered personal reflections. Councilmember Pineda spoke about Fisher's mentorship: "We owe it to her to continue that legacy, to always fight for folks, to speak up for folks, to defend them, to be a voice for them."

Vice Mayor Xavier remembered their years working together: "Everybody working for the city of San Pablo loved Latonya. She was such a big part of the city and we lost her far too soon."

Mayor Pabon-Alvarado shared a deeply personal reflection, connecting Fisher's passing to the loss of her own son: "My son died unexpectedly about two years ago. And what brought me solace or just that place where I had to hang my hat is that I trust God with my life and I trust God with my son's life."

A moment of silence was observed, followed by a five-minute recess. The meeting was later adjourned in Fisher's memory.

Minor Items

• Consent calendar approved 4-0 (Cruz absent) with no items pulled and no public comment.

• UC Davis graduate Alexander Sanchez told the council during oral communications that the city's EDC workforce development program connected him with a mentor who helped him land his first engineering job as a project engineer with GSW Construction.

• Vice Mayor Xavier reported that the Contra Costa Transportation Authority is developing a transportation expenditure plan for a potential 2028 ballot measure affecting West Contra Costa County infrastructure.

• Mayor Pabon-Alvarado announced the upcoming Hispanic Heritage Parade.

• Councilmember Cruz was absent from the meeting.