A fraudulent signature gathering operation was witnessed this weekend in Mountain View in an attempt to put a measure on the ballot to repeal all renter protections in MV. Landlord-hired signature gatherers were seen at the Spring parade, local churches and grocery stores trying to dupe people into signing the deceptively titled “Mountain View Homeowner, Renter and Taxpayer Protection Initiative.” Some called it an expansion of rent control, some seemed unaware of the fraud they were perpetrating, others were honest that it was a repeal of Measure V. In a video, one signature gatherer stated that she was being paid. The going rate is $6 for a signature, $8 for getting it by knocking on doors. Given what has gone on in Alameda, Pacifica, Richmond and Santa Rosa, the deception is not surprising. Some of the Pacifica signature gatherers now face criminal charges.

MVTC members were able to stop some of these folks from having much success by simply standing nearby with a sign and urging people not to sign the petition for the “sneaky repeal” of rent control. We urge other folks to do the same, and to pass out these flyers:

Click here for the Dont Sign flyer in SPANISH

Click here for the Dont Sign flyer in ENGLISH

We estimate that they will need to collect around 10,000 signatures by mid June. Be ready for any aggressive, fraudulent behavior, as seen in other cities. It is illegal for them to misrepresent what they are gathering signatures for. They are required by law to state their names and whether they are being paid or not.

Learn more about the “sneaky repeal” –

Mayor calls proposed ballot measure a ‘sneak’ repeal of rent control

BY ALLISON LEVITSKY
Daily Post Staff Writer

“Mountain View Mayor Lenny Siegel says a ballot measure proposed by a group backed by landlords would effectively repeal the city’s year-old rent control law.

The measure would suspend rent control when more than 3% of the city’s rental housing supply is vacant — which, Siegel pointed out, it always is.

“The vacancy rate never goes below 3%, so the just cause eviction and rent control elements of the charter amendment would never apply, and so that’s why I call it a sneaky repeal,” Siegel told the Post. “They’ve got a whole lot of smoke and mirrors there.””