HJTA delivered more than 1.3 million signatures to the 58 county offices, well above the 874,641 needed to qualify the Local Taxpayer Protection Act to Save Proposition 13 for the November ballot.
This initiative, when approved by the voters, will restore the requirement for a two-thirds vote to pass local special taxes. And it will finally close the loophole that has allowed excessive real
estate transfer taxes (sales taxes on real estate) to be enacted city after city.
With voter approval of this initiative, all transfer taxes statewide that are higher than 0.11% will be repealed automatically in two years.
City of Santa Ana Bans Anticompetitive Rent-Setting Software the New Ordinance prohibits the sale, licensing, provision and use of certain algorithmic rent-setting tools for residential rental properties in Santa Ana.
The ordinance prohibits the sale, licensing, provision and use of certain algorithmic rent-setting software for residential rental properties. It addresses the growing use of algorithmic devices that set rental rates in the private housing market using nonpublic competitor data, including real-time rents, lease renewals and occupancy levels.
“This ordinance is about protecting renters and keeping our housing market fair,” Mayor Valerie Amezcua said. “By prohibiting the sale and use of these rent-setting systems, we’re standing up for working families, promoting accountability, and ensuring our housing market works for residents — not just profit margins.”
Key Provisions of the Ordinance
The new algorithmic rent-setting ordinance is limited to residential rental property and does not apply to pricing software that relies solely on publicly available data, aggregate historical data, or tools used to comply with affordable housing program requirements. It is structured to operate alongside existing and proposed state antitrust laws while providing stronger local protections, as it:
● Defines a limited scope, covering residential rental property within Santa Ana city limits;
● Provides tenants with direct enforcement authority through civil action; and
● Eases the burden of proof for tenants by only needing to prove the landlord is using
prohibited technology, instead of having to prove there was intentional collusion by the landlord.
Under the ordinance, a tenant affected by a violation may seek injunctive relief, damages, or civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation, plus attorney’s fees.
This article was posted on Wednesday, Apr 01, 2026
