Lake County rescinds rent-gouging ordinance adopted after 2017 wildfires

The Lake County Board of Supervisors has dropped an anti-rent gouging ordinance adopted after the devastating Northern California wildfires in 2017.

Supervisors said this week the ordinance, which threatened a $20,000 fine for those who significantly increased rents following the October 2017 Sulfur fire, was no longer needed, according to a county press statement. More than 130 homes were destroyed in the fire.

County officials said the ordinance was successful in that reported issues were handled without any local prosecutions or significant action by state officials. County supervisors voted 5-0 Tuesday to rescind the ordinance.

The action will allow property owners to make “modest price increases necessary to cover increasing costs,” officials said in the statement.

County officials could not be reached Friday for comment because many county offices are closed as a result of ongoing budget constraints.

The press statement said the ordinance was implemented to deal with the common practice of rental housing price gouging following major disasters. The influx of insurance funds into affected communities and the increased demand for housing cause rents to rapidly increase, officials said.

Fifth District Supervisor Rob Brown, who originally called for the ordinance to be rescinded, said residents who were being protected by the ordinance now have places to live. Rescinding the ordinance, he said, would allow property owners to raise rents enough to cover the cost of necessary repairs and maintenance.

“The ordinance, as initially planned, is no longer needed,” Brown said.

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 707-521-5213 or martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @renofish.