The county council is expected to vote Tuesday on legislation to limit rent increases.
Bill 15-23 would limit allowable annual rent increases to 3% plus inflation, to be capped at 6%. A council committee moved forward with the one amended bill after competing bills were introduced in March.
There would be some exemptions from rent increase restrictions within the bill, including for rental units that have been offered for fewer than 15 years, Council President Evan Glass explained.
In separate letters to the council, leaders of the cities of Gaithersburg and Rockville shared their concerns about “unintended consequences” of the bill.
“Though it’s true that many people have been adversely impacted with rising rents and commodity costs due to inflation caused in part by the pandemic and supply-chain issues – implementing rent control may well serve to delay the creation of new affordable housing, challenge property owners to perform regular care and maintenance and cause inadvertent tenant turnover,” states a July 12 letter from the Rockville Mayor and Council, following a July 7 letter from Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman sharing concerns about the legislation.
During a media briefing Monday, Glass said there are “bad actors” who increased rents by double digits.
“This council is united in saying those instances should not take place,” he said.
Lead sponsors of Bill 15-23 are Councilmembers Natali Fani-González and Sidney Katz.
In a letter Monday from many organizations — including the Montgomery County Education Association, Jews United For Justice, CASA, the Renter’s Alliance and SEIU Local 500 — the organizations urged councilmembers to vote for the bill, with vacancy control and regulated fees, and to oppose some amendments like a sunset date.
“Rent stabilization is essential to ensure that tenants, many of who have lived here for years, can continue calling Montgomery County their homes,” the letter states. “Families and children cannot thrive if they are concerned about being pushed out.”
