CALL TO ACTION 9/2: Rental Registry Now!
Show up for Hayward Renters - Tuesday at City Hall!
đJoin us IN-PERSON on Tuesday 9/2, 6:30pm @ Hayward City Hall
Weâre approaching a critical moment: the Hayward City Council will be discussing whether the City should develop a rental registry on Tuesday, September 2nd.
A sudden, illegal rent increase or case of mold shouldnât lead to our neighbors being permanently displaced or ending up on the street. The City has an opportunity to help prevent people from falling into homelessness and ensure that our community has safe, stable housing by developing a rental registry for Hayward.
Can you join us at City Hall on 9/2? Click the button below to RSVP. See you there!
âď¸ Canât make it in-person? E-mail City Council! (only takes 2 minutes)
Click the button below for email instructions on how to submit a letter of support. Emails must be sent by 3pm Tuesday!
F.A.Q.âs
Whatâs a rental registry?
A rental registry is a database that requires landlords to regularly report rental information. Without one, itâs difficult for the city to hold landlords accountable and enforce our current housing laws.
Additionally, a rental registry would reduce the need for our immigrant and undocumented communities to engage with law enforcement or the court system, which could be the difference between remaining in Hayward or facing deportation.
Why do we need one?
The City depends on tenants to report violations, many of whom are seniors, lower-income, and/or undocumented (and who may be unaware of their rights or afraid to exercise them). This dynamic allows landlords to take advantage of our most vulnerable residents, leading to illegal rent hikes, evictions, displacement, deportations, poor living conditions, increased homelessness, families leaving our school district, and more.
Without a registry, City staff rely on inconsistent or inaccurate public records to chase down property owners/managers while working families live in unsafe conditions, experience illegal rent increases, and/or are forced to relocate while they wait for the city to respond.
How does a registry address this?
The success of any housing policy Hayward puts forward is difficult to measure and improve because we donât have up-to-date data on rent prices, eviction information, and more. While the City currently requires landlords to report rent increases for certain units, there is no penalty or enforcement mechanism if they donât.
A strong rental registry ordinance would require landlords to regularly submit information to the city to ensure that rent increases and evictions are fair, while being able to proactively intervene when theyâre not.
In short, better data will lead to better behavior, and serve as a tool that will help us develop future housing policy. Thatâs why nearly 50 public agencies have implemented rental registries across the country, including Alameda, Berkeley, Concord, Mountain View, Oakland, Palo Alto, and San Jose.
Will you stand with Hayward renters? Click the button below to RSVP:
For more FAQâs & information:
Check out this website we made about the Rental Registry, including links to studies, staff reports, and data on renting in Hayward.