In Santa Clara County, San Jose and Los Gatos have had rent control (on older apartments) for many years. Four councilmembers (Siegel, Showalter, Rosenberg and Clark) expressed support for a third step in the process of mediating contested rent increases (over a percentage not yet selected). That third step could be binding arbitration - a form of direct rent control. The difference is that the third step would only be reached if a landlord raised the rent steeply, a tenant challenged the increase, and the landlord declined to settle. Since three of the four councilmembers who voiced support for such a third step were screened and endorsed as candidates by landlord groups, it will be a surprise if at least one of them does not back off (after being contacted by landlords).

By the way, under the potential nediation possibly leading to binding arbitration plan headed for the City Council agenda in January, a landlord giving notice of a rent increase (over some percentage) could help forestall any request for mediation or arbitration by including an explanation of the increase in light of individual circumstances. It would be up to a landlord to provide an explanation or not.