What state law says about rent controls, evictions

Lately, I’ve been discussing rent control with family and friends, and there is some confusion about whether Santa Cruz has rent control regulations since an initiative in 2018 for rent control, known as Measure M, did not pass. However, the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482 amended in 2024 by SB 567) limits how much residential rental apartments and condominiums over 15 years old can raise rent each year, regardless of ownership changes.

This law protects tenants from receiving at-fault or no-fault eviction notices without a valid reason if they have lived in their rental for more than a year. Valid reasons for at-fault evictions include not paying rent, breaking the lease, or illegal activities. Valid reasons for no-fault evictions include the owner moves in, demolition or substantial remodel, or withdrawal from the rental market. Additionally, landlords may be required to provide relocation assistance to tenants for no-fault evictions.

For more information, visit the Housing Authority of Santa Cruz County online and select the General tab for Legal Assistance and Tenant-Landlord Rights.

— Sean Livingston, Santa Cruz

The ‘Trump Bible’ versus the real Bible directive

I don’t know what it says in the Trump Bible but in the one most of us read, here is what is said: “Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.” Psalm 82:3.

— Thomas Bastasch, Aptos

Trump uses loyalty tests for Cabinet posts

As you know, our current president is eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs that are intended to have the federal workforce represent all of us. He believes that nonwhite men and/or female employees hired under these programs to be incompetent.

You may remember that during Mr. Trump’s first term, despite his claim to hire “only the best people,” his main criterion for Cabinet appointments was not their competence, but their loyalty to him. This is called nepotism, a form of corruption, and resulted in numerous Department of Justice investigations and subsequent resignations. Seven of those disgraced hires come to mind: secretaries of the Interior (Zinke), Transportation (Chao), Labor (Acosta) Energy (Perry), EPA (Pruitt), HHS (Price), and VA (Wilkie). Government scandal and corruption on this scale is unique in U.S. history.

Mr. Trump is doing it again. The incompetence of his Cabinet secretaries is becoming obvious. As usual, when they screw up, Mr. Trump first claims to know nothing about it and then vilifies and fires them. The buck stops nowhere.

— Don Eggleston, Aptos

Trump breaking more laws with Signal messages

Signalgate is a national embarrassment. It’s bad enough that the president is breaking laws to impound funds duly appropriated by Congress but now his administration is hiding their communications from the National Archives using disappearing messages in Signal, a violation of the Presidential Records Act.

If you haven’t called Rep. Jimmy Panetta’s office and urged him to file articles of impeachment, today is the day. This president needs to be impeached, removed, convicted and sentenced.

— Amul Goswamy, Scotts Valley

Symphony, Shakespeare are local treasures

We had the good fortune to attend the performance at the Civic this past weekend of the Santa Cruz Symphony. Marvelous maestro Danny Stewart, our terrific conductor, collaborated with Charles Pasternak, the artistic director of Santa Cruz Shakespeare, and virtuoso actor Allie Pratt to create one of the most enjoyable performances I have seen in this or any year. Shakespeare scenes and soliloquies from “Macbeth,” “Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Romeo and Juliet” were seamlessly incorporated into the musical program of Mendelssohn, Clyne and Tchaikovsky.

We have two of the most valuable cultural resources in our county and they both deserve our full support in these difficult times. What a treasure!

— Kent Imai, Scotts Valley

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