60 Day “Right to Cure” Ordinance Does Not Pass San Antonio City Council
On Thursday, May 14, San Antonio City Council voted against a 60-Day “Right to Cure” Ordinance by a vote of 5-6. This ordinance would have required a residential landlord to provide a notice of proposed eviction to residential tenants prior to a notice to vacate for failure to pay rent. The proposal would have given the tenant 60 days to cure any delinquent payments, prior to a landlord giving a tenant a notice to vacate. A similar measure has passed in the cities of Austin, Dallas, and San Marcos.
SABOR opposed the passage of the ordinance for multiple reasons, including legal concerns and the adverse impact it would have on landlords and property owners.
Along with the dialogue and engagement between SABOR staff, members, and City Council behind the scenes, SABOR also launched a Call-for-Action on Monday, May 11. In only two days, 632 members took action by contacting their councilmembers on the issue – a response rate of 6%.
At City Hall on the day of the vote, there were over 100 REALTORS® and Property Managers in attendance, wearing their face coverings and armed with folders full of talking points. They shared emotional and real-life testimonies about the impact the ordinance would have on their business as small-time business owners.
Ultimately, the actions taken yesterday by SABOR members and in the weeks-long build up to the vote directly changed the outcome of the vote.
SABOR is gratified by the Council’s decision yesterday and will continue to work with the City to address housing issues fairly and equitably as they arise from COVID-19.
