Amid aggressive opposition from the California Apartment Association, a measure to impose rent control and “just cause” eviction policies in Santa Cruz failed passage in Tuesday’s election.

According to semi-official results, 65.5 percent of voters rejected Measure M, while just 34.5 percent voted to approve it. A rent control measure also appeared to be failing in National City.

By defeating Measure M, CAA protected Santa Cruz’s rental housing industry from the imposition of rent control on pre-1995 multifamily housing. Had it passed, the measure also would have imposed expensive relocation fees on landlords if they gave a rent increase exceeding 10 percent in any unit exempted by the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act.

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