City of Half Moon Bay

The National Association of REALTORS®' REALTOR® Party recently highlighted the repeal of Half Moon Bay's rent stabilization and rental registry policies as a Success Story highlighting SAMCAR efforts to pursue a disciplined, relationship-based advocacy strategy grounded in data, local experience, and constructive solutions. A significant upshot of this result is that even when rent control policies are already in place, they are not irreversible. REALTOR® associations can play a decisive role by staying engaged after adoption, monitoring program outcomes, electing more supportive candidates, and using credible data to demonstrate when policies fail to meet their goals.

On March 17, 2026, the Half Moon Bay City Council made a rare and significant decision voting 3–2 to repeal both the rent stabilization and rental registry programs. "Programs that were already in place were repealed," emphasized SAMCAR Government Affairs Director Fernando Peña. "That does not happen often." This outcome reflects months of focused advocacy led by SAMCAR on behalf of homeowners, Realtors, property managers, and housing providers in Half Moon Bay and the surrounding unincorporated communities -- the very individuals who make up the backbone of the local rental housing market.

The "Switch is On" campaign has launched a new website where homeowners can easily find contractors, income qualifying programs, incentives for their zip code and to connect with electrification experts.

On Saturday, September 11, Pacific Coast TV honored SAMCAR REALTORS® Christine Stahl and Suzan Getchell-Wallace for their volunteerism and philanthropy in coastal communities alongside notable community figures as part of the stations 2021 Honors. Both have served as SAMCAR Committee chairs, notably on the SAMCAR Foundation Council, and Suzan Wallace is a past president and currently serves as treasurer on the SAMCAR Board of Directors. Congratulations to Christine and Suzan for this acknowledgement! (A replay of the ceremony is available on YouTube)

A disclosure for Sea Level Rise is now within the Statewide Buyer and Seller Advisory (SBSA). The revised SBSA will be released in June 2021. Smart Coast California worked for over a year with C.A.R. on language for this disclosure. Thank you to everyone who was instrumental in making this happen.

In response to August wildfire evacuations in San Mateo County's coastal communities, the Tuesday marketing meeting group of Half Moon Bay REALTORS® quickly mobilized to raise funds for Puente de la Costa Sur to provide relief—raising $13,000 in just over a week and half. Read more for a special thanks to donors and to learn more about this rapid, member-led effort.