After weeks of heated debates, a temporary rent freeze for Santa Barbara is set to go into effect in 30 days, after the City Council on Tuesday approved a temporary ordinance in a 4-3 vote.

The freeze will prevent some landlords from raising a unit’s base rent. It will expire on Dec. 31 or when a permanent rent stabilization ordinance goes into effect, whichever is earlier. 

Base rent is defined as rent that was in effect on Dec. 16, 2025, for tenancies existing on or before that date, or the rent established upon initial occupancy for tenancies that started after that date.

The temporary rent increase moratorium does not apply to housing units built after 1995, single-family homes and most condos, transient occupancies, institutional and government housing, and units subject to rent affordability covenant or the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.

The ordinance and other new rules for landlords passed with four yes votes from council members Wendy Santamaria, Oscar Gutierrez, Kristen Sneddon and Meagan Harmon. 

Mayor Randy Rowse, alongside Councilmen Eric Friedman and Mike Jordan, voted no.

Rowse asked the council to reconsider approving the ordinance. He said he is worried it will lead to the city facing legal backlash.

“The rent freeze ordinance represents a strong-arm, top-down approach rather than a sincere attempt to approach the issue with mutual respect and trust for the future of the rental community,” Rowse said. 

He also argued that more research needed to be done and that the administrative costs associated with the ordinance would burden the city. 

Santamaria pushed back on his comments, arguing that families need immediate action and that the ordinance gives city staff room to breathe while they work on the permanent stabilization ordinance. 

“People need now more than ever to be able to have a stable home and have a place to keep their children safe,” Santamaria said. “I don’t see the option of sitting idly by and not voting on this and not taking a stand on this issue.” 

The council also adopted new rules for pulling units off the rental market. 

Now, if a landlord wants to take one unit off the rental market, they would also have to take all other units on that property off the market as well. 

Once off the market, units can’t be rented out again for five years, according to the ordinance. 

Additionally, lease termination notices would have to be given to tenants at the same time. Eviction dates in the notices can vary depending on the tenants’ rental agreements.  

During public comment, Ana Arce — a policy advocate with Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) — argued that the rent increase moratorium was necessary to stop landlords from raising rents while the city works on the permanent stabilization ordinance. 

“Temporary protections are a standard and a legally sound approach to maintain stability during policy transitions,” Arce said. “A rent freeze preserves housing while just cause protections ensure evictions occur only for legitimate reasons.”

The topic of rent freeze has become a point of contention among city officials over the past few months. 

In October, Santamaria and Sneddon proposed their own rent stabilization ordinance, but it failed to pass over a lack of transparency and the council not wanting to pass something that was written by only two council members. 

City staff are working on a permanent stabilization ordinance, of which they hope to bring a draft to the council in March.

In December, the council voted 4-3 to have city staff draft the temporary rent freeze, which was supported two weeks ago in another 4-3 vote. 

Harmon, Santamaria, Sneddon and Gutierrez have supported a rent freeze, citing concerns from residents struggling to afford to live in the city. 

Meanwhile Rowse, Friedman and Jordan have been cautious, arguing it was government overreach and could hurt the city’s existing rental stock. 

Each meeting has produced lengthy and emotional public comment periods, with landlords arguing that they need to raise rents to keep up with the price of property taxes and utilities. 

Tenants and advocates have demanded an immediate rental freeze. Many have argued that they have to work multiple jobs to keep up with the rising cost of rent. 

In February, the city plans to hold a number of stakeholder focus groups to help develop the policies in the permanent rent stabilization ordinance. 

If all goes to plan, the council will review a draft ordinance in March, allowing for public review before a final decision is made in July. If passed, the ordinance would be implemented in January 2027.