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It's Not What You Think!

St. Paul's Rent Control Measure is Unproven and Untested

On November 2, Vote NO on Question 1

Rent Control Does More Harm Than Good

It Hurts People It Seeks To Help

No American state or city has ever implemented a rent control measure as sweeping as Question 1.

Cities like New York and San Francisco that implemented rent control found that:

  • The quality of rental properties took a downward turn. Property owners couldn’t cover the inflation costs of maintenance and equipment upgrades. Renters ended up in lower quality housing.

  • Rental options declined. Residents rarely left rent-controlled properties, owners wouldn’t invest, and many rental units were converted to condominiums, leaving fewer, older and poorer quality rental options.

No one knows how much the measure will cost or how it will be enforced. This rent control measure covers every rental unit and every renter without any exceptions. This approach has never been tried before. No one knows the long-term impact on housing quality or affordability.

The rent control cap is not tied to the rate of inflation or property tax increases. Property owners would be unable to raise rent past 3% even if inflation and other costs rose past that. Building upkeep will decline and many properties will be taken off the rental market.

New construction is not exempt from the law. Rent control stops the creation of new housing opportunities. An already severe housing shortage will be made worse.