Tenant protections (K.1)

Landlord of two Merced rentals since 2005; called the proposal premature and urged the city to analyze data from its new stepped-up inspections first.

Spoke in Spanish through a translator, saying he is happy living in Merced and urging more study before acting.

Retiree landlord of one property who loses money monthly; asked for fairness to small landlords and to delay the rental registry.

Landlord of one unit for 13 years who spent $18,000 on a roof; worried K.1 and ordinance 8.53 would sweep up good landlords over minor violations like a basketball hoop.

Called the proposal a wish list with no fiscal analysis; said rent caps can't touch post-1995 housing and would hit small owners hardest, and courts are striking down similar relocation mandates.

Property manager of about 185 units; said existing ordinances suffice, Merced has some of the state's most affordable housing, and more rules would scare off investors and raise rents.

Supported three new programs — relocation assistance, eviction protection, and right of first refusal — and criticized slumlords charging high rents for substandard homes.

Cited city data showing 53% of renter households are cost-burdened; called for a rental registry, housing trust fund, and an anti-slumlord committee with tenant seats.

Real estate agent of nearly 30 years; said existing laws are shrinking rental inventory, evictions are up and tenant-caused, and cited a UC Irvine study on rent regulation backfiring.

Nearly 50-year resident and property manager; asked the council to kill the proposal, saying it treats every landlord as a bad one and would shrink housing supply.

Thanked Xiong for the presentation and urged relocation assistance, right of first refusal, right to counsel, a rental registry, and proactive inspections, citing 1,403 unrepresented eviction cases.

District 6 resident who lived under Concord's ordinances for 40 years; opposed the wish list, citing open-ended costs and legal risks for small owners.

Property owner and Fuller Center for Housing board member; asked the city to lower its own costs on affordable housing before burdening landlords, noting repayment timelines stretched to 55 years.

Retired small landlord of two properties; said he keeps rents below market and a single plumbing issue cost more than a year's rent — asked the council to stop K.1.