Sanders Weighs in on California’s Proposition 10 and Local Assembly Seat

During a trip through parts of the Golden State, Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) stopped in the Bay Area community of Berkeley to give a thumbs up to Proposition 10 and Richmond City Council Member Jovanka Beckles (D East bay).

The independent Senator and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate said he favored the controversial Prop 10 measure and believes it is badly needed in order to help combat a growing nation-wide housing crisis as well as cap rising prices.

Sanders said in a statement “municipalities should have the freedom to implement legislation to deal with the outrageous decline in affordable housing and rising rents” before adding “in that regard, passing Proposition 10 makes sense to me.”

If passed, Proposition 10 will repeal the 1995 Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act which effectively set limits on the kind of rent control policies cities are able to impose. The law also blocks cites from capping prices on vacant units, allowing landlords to charge as much as they want after a tenant leaves.

Furthermore, the Act restricts rent control on single family homes and most residential developments constructed after the laws 1995 initiation. Prop 10 would allow individual cities to implement the measure as they deem appropriate.

While proponents of Prop 10 such as Sanders believe its a key step towards solving California’s housing-affordability and homelessness crises by guaranteeing renters a fair rate, however, non-supporters say it will only make it harder to find housing as landlords and developers will become disincentivized to build as the free market evaporates.

As far as the endorsement for fellow Democratic and current City Council Member Jovanka Beckles, the representative is trying to make the transition to the state assembly where she is running against Democratic rival Buffy Wicks. Wicks served as Hilary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign manager and Whitehouse official for former President Barack Obama.

“I was impressed with her commitment to progressive values… she will fight for Medicare for all,” Sanders noted in his endorsement”

Sanders’s endorsement was announced, after appearing with her on stage at a rally two days ago in what appears to be a buildup for another presidential run in 2020.