Protect Salinas Renters gathers enough signatures for a referendum on reversal of renter protection ordinances.

On Friday, Aug. 15, the Monterey County Registrar of Voters certified that Protect Salinas Renters had gathered enough signatures—10 percent of registered voters, or 6,998 signatures—to move forward with a referendum.

Salinas City Council will receive a report on the referendum on Tuesday, Aug. 26 and they will have three options: repeal the ordinance, or let voters decide in either a special or in general municipal election (the next municipal election is in 2026).

The referendum was in response to residents' disagreement with the council's decision on June 3 to rescind four housing-related ordinances, including a 2.75-percent cap on annual rent increase.

Following that vote, Protect Salinas Renters—a coalition of doctors, teachers, students and others—gathered 10,448 signatures they submitted to the Salinas City Clerk on July 4. The city submitted them the same day to the Registrar of Voters for verification, a process they had up to 30 business days to complete.

If rescinded by council or approved by voters, the measure will have the effect of maintaining the status quo with the 2.75-percent cap, a rental registry, a tenant anti-harassment ordinance and eviction rules stricter than the state's. During the signature verification process, the City Council's June 3 ordinance was suspended, pending the outcome of the referendum effort. 

According to County Elections officials, a standalone election would cost the city between $16-$24 per registered voter, about $1.1 million to $1.7 million; adding the referendum to the 2026 ballot is a lower cost, between $489,895 to $699,850.