California bill to expand rent control dies for the year

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A proposal to expand rent control in California won’t move forward this year.

Assemblyman Richard Bloom cancelled a Thursday public hearing on his bill to change a 1995 state law that blocks rent control on apartments built after that year and on all single-family homes. His goal is to continue working on the bill and bring it back next year.

Backers of a rent control ballot measure that failed last year have already pledged to go back to the ballot in 2020 if lawmakers don’t act.

Another rent-related effort by Assemblyman David Chiu of San Francisco is moving forward. It would place a cap on annual rent increases to prevent what he calls “rent gouging.” Chiu’s bill cleared an Assembly committee but still faces hurdles.