by David King
Concord City Council faces its second consecutive contentious meeting on March 25, over the proposed amendment of the existing Tenants Protection Ordinance. The 41/2-hour meeting ended with shouting and angry chants, with personal attacks to Councilman Pablo Benavente and his family causing the Concord Police to step in and escort the offenders out of the chamber.
Edi Birsan stands outside the Concord Council Chamber peering in as Council deliberates over amending the Rent Stabilization Ordinance he spearheaded and passed in 2024.
A maximum of 121 people is permitted in the Council Chamber including Councilmembers and City Staff, and on this night, many had to watch from the Council’s overflow room. Those who wished to make public comment, of which were many, were granted temporary admission into the Chamber to give their 2-minute comment if they were not already seated in the chamber.
The meeting can still be viewed on the City website for those interested in hearing the comments from both sides of the argument, Landlords vs. Tenants.
The disturbing aspect of this free speech exercise is the unsafe and belligerence of many of the activists who fear the Council is on their way to amending the ordinance under the premise that the original verbiage went too far in its restrictions.
Councilman Benavente is especially being called out by the activists as it was his motion to amend the ordinance to raise the rent cap to a flat 5% from a lower cap of 60% of CPI, which currently caps rent increases at 2.52%. California State caps rent increases at 10%.
“Many of the people who supported me also believed the original ordinance went too far and wanted to see it changed. I heard that loud and clear while walking my district. This wasn’t just coming from landlords, but from everyday residents, including renters, immigrants, and working families who felt the policy was out of balance. My job is to listen to all voices and make decisions that reflect the broader needs of our city—even when the conversations are difficult,” Councilman Benavente stated.
As far as the threats made against Councilman Benavente and his family, he has responded with a great deal of class.
“It was deeply upsetting—not just for me, but for my family. Public service comes with scrutiny, and I accept that. But there’s a line between disagreement and bullying or intimidation, and when someone crosses that line by doxxing or threatening a family, it stops being about policy and becomes something much darker… I won’t be intimidated, but I also won’t normalize or excuse that kind of behavior. Bullying has no place in our civic discourse. I’m committed to engaging with our community through respectful, honest dialogue—even when we disagree—and I hope others will continue to do the same.”
The City is already receiving letters from citizens concerned over the deficient control of the meeting and safety of those who attend. The second reading of the amended ordinance is tentatively scheduled to occur at April 22 and if passed, would be in effect 30 days later.