The Long Beach Coalition for Good Jobs and a Healthy Community (GJHC), an entity of the pro-union organization, the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy or LAANE, and the Rent Control Now Coalition (RCN) have each nearly reached the halfway mark in signature-gathering efforts to get their respective initiatives on the November ballot.

If passed, GJHC’s proposed Hotel Workplace Requirements and Restrictions ordinance would impose safety and workload-related standards on hotels with 50 rooms or more. RCN’s rent control ordinance would establish rent control on all commercial rental properties, excluding rentable single-family homes, and provide other renter protections such as just-cause eviction.

With a goal of 40,000 signatures (though the requirement is around 27,000), GJHC Director Victor Sánchez said the group has not had any setbacks and that it is aiming to submit signatures for certification sometime in May, which is earlier than the city would require.

“We’re very confident and motivated,” Sánchez said. “It’s been a three-year fight, so there is a lot of familiarity with the issue. Also, given the national context, the conversations at [residents’] doors have been very good.”

GJHC’s efforts are still largely volunteer based, but paid signature gatherers are currently being utilized, according to Sánchez.

Jordan Wynne, a community organizer with Housing Long Beach, said the fully volunteer-based signature gathering efforts for the rent control initiative have not hit any setbacks and are proceeding smoothly.

“Every day we build more momentum as tenants rise against the injustices they are currently facing,” Wynne said. “A select minority of vocal opposition is attempting to undermine the volunteer signature gatherers we have out around the city.”