Salinas Rent Protections Remain Before November Repeal Vote

Salinas’ four renter-protection ordinances remain in effect after the City Council placed a repeal question on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot.

That means the city’s rental registration, rent stabilization, just-cause eviction and tenant-protection rules continue to operate while voters consider whether to repeal them. The November measure is a vote on repeal; it is not a final repeal of the ordinances.

The outcome will affect the policy framework used by Salinas renters and landlords, including rules addressing certain rent increases, covered evictions and landlord harassment. The city’s materials also show that program requirements and fees vary depending on the type of rental unit or property.

Four ordinances remain operative

The city identifies four related ordinances: rental registration; rent stabilization; just-cause eviction protections; and tenant protection and anti-harassment protections.

According to the City of Salinas, the ordinances were enacted to limit certain rent increases, require a lawful cause for covered evictions and prohibit landlord harassment. Those descriptions do not mean every rental unit is subject to the same rules. Coverage depends on the applicable program and property circumstances.

For renters covered by the ordinances, the practical effect before the election is that the listed protections remain operative. For landlords whose properties or units fall within the applicable categories, registration and other tenant-protection requirements also remain in place while the ballot question is pending.

Enrollment and fees

The city reported 6,165 units enrolled in its Rent Stabilization Ordinance program in a quarterly update dated May 21, 2026. That number refers to enrolled rent-stabilized units. The approved city information does not establish that it represents all rental units in Salinas.

The city lists a 2026 annual registration fee of $112 per unit for covered multifamily properties built before Feb. 1, 1995. It also lists a $29 annual fee per unit for units that are not subject to rent stabilization.

The construction date is an important distinction in the city’s fee information. The Feb. 1, 1995 cutoff identifies the category of covered multifamily properties associated with the higher listed fee. The available materials do not establish that every property or unit in Salinas has the same registration obligation, rent limits or fee.

What voters will decide

The City Attorney’s referendum materials and the city’s housing information identify Nov. 3, 2026, as the date for the repeal question. Until then, the existing ordinances remain the city’s operating policy.

Voters have not yet decided whether the protections will be repealed. The approved records establish the ballot status, the current program enrollment figure and the listed 2026 fees, but they do not establish the current campaign positions of proponents or opponents, campaign spending or the likely election result.

For Salinas residents, the immediate change is therefore the upcoming decision rather than a change in the rules themselves. The next major step is the Nov. 3 vote, which could determine whether the four-ordinance system continues beyond the election.