California rent control bill stalls for the year

An effort to expand rent control in California won't move forward this year after the lawmaker behind it cancelled a planned public hearing, saying his plan needs more work.

Assemblyman Richard Bloom, a Santa Monica Democrat, was once again unsuccessful expanding rent control.

Bloom said on Twitter that he pulled his bill "so we can continue to work toward reasonable reforms" and "deliver meaningful protections to the millions of California renters who are struggling to remain housed."

A law that bans rent control on apartments built after 1995 and on all single family homes has significantly limited the effort.

A push to repeal the law failed on the ballot last November.

While Bloom's bill did not move ahead, a key Assembly committee approved a bill to put a cap on rent increases. Democratic Assemblyman David Chiu's bill would cap allowable annual rent increases at the consumer price index plus five percent, though he indicated that number could change. It's aimed at preventing sharp rent spikes while allowing landlords to make a profit.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.