Signatures turned in to Delano City Hall to put rent control measure on the ballot

by: Cecilia Trevino

DELANO, Calif. (KGET) — By signing onto a petition, thousands of Delano residents are saying yes to rent control. Amanda Melendrez is a single mom of three, who has to work double shifts to make ends meet.

“Sixteen hours a day just to come up with the money, because it’s not only about paying the bills, paying the house, it’s also the food, water, gas for your car, your car, your insurance, you pay a lot of stuff,” Melendrez said.

Melendrez is one of thousands of residents who signed on to bring rent control to Delano. Organizers said they collected 3,000 signatures.

“Even though I pay $1,650, plus the utility bills which is the gas, the water, the trash, and the electricity, you know it comes really expensive,” said Amanda Melendrez.

Her home would qualify for rent control, but even if the ballot measure passes, many homes will not.

“Unfortunately, California has a law called Costa-Hawkins that prevents rent control to single-family dwellings and buildings built after 1995, so, everything else it would apply to,” said Arturo Rodriguez with Central Valley Empowerment Alliance.

In Delano, that could be almost half of the total population.

“We believe that close to 20,000 people will be impacted by this ordinance.” said Arturo Rodriguez.

Melendrez says if approved, this would give her her life back.

“I think it was like killing me. You get stress, you don’t sleep, you don’t think … basically you don’t have time to kick back,” Melendrez said.

“You want to sit down, relax … I can’t do that. I’m about to sit down and no, I think: I have to pay this, I have to pay that. And I can’t afford anything because it’s too much money!”

Residents now waiting to vote “yes” on the measure in the upcoming November election.