Governor Payne Establishes Housing Strike Force

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 16, 2026

Contact: Office of the Governor, Communications Department, State of San Andreas Press@sa.gov  | (555) 0100-GOV

Governor Payne Establishes Housing Strike Force and Economic Fairness Task Force to Confront Predatory Practices and Rising Costs

LOS SANTOS — Governor Payne today signed two executive orders creating new interagency enforcement and research bodies aimed at confronting predatory corporate practices, increasing transparency in pricing, and protecting residents from unjustified cost burdens across the state.

The executive orders establish the Housing Strike Force and the Economic Fairness and Price Transparency Task Force, marking a coordinated expansion of the State’s efforts to address housing instability, inflationary pressures, and opaque corporate pricing practices.

“San Andreas will not accept a system where families are squeezed by hidden fees, coordinated price hikes, or predatory conduct while corporate profits soar,” Governor Payne said. “These executive orders bring the full strength of state government together—across enforcement, regulation, and economic analysis—to ensure our markets are fair, transparent, and lawful.”

Housing Strike Force

The Housing Strike Force, chaired by the Attorney General, is charged with identifying, investigating, and addressing predatory practices by large corporate landlords operating in San Andreas. The Strike Force brings together state agencies with enforcement, regulatory, labor, and auditing authority to examine conduct that may undermine tenant protections and fair housing laws.

The Strike Force will focus on issues including excessive or coordinated rent increases, unlawful eviction practices, undisclosed or abusive fees, failure to maintain habitable housing, and the use of opaque or algorithm-driven pricing tools. It is authorized to conduct market-wide investigations, coordinate enforcement actions, and refer matters for civil or criminal prosecution where warranted.

Within 90 days, the Strike Force will submit an initial report to the Governor outlining investigative priorities and early findings, followed by quarterly public reports detailing enforcement activity and systemic trends.

Economic Fairness and Price Transparency Task Force

The Economic Fairness and Price Transparency Task Force will take a broader, data-driven approach to examining inflation, price gouging, and corporate pricing behavior across key sectors of the economy, including housing, food, energy, insurance, healthcare, transportation, and consumer goods.

The Task Force will analyze whether price increases reflect legitimate cost pressures or exploitative practices, assess the role of market concentration, and identify transparency gaps that obscure true consumer costs. It will also coordinate with existing enforcement efforts—including the Housing Strike Force—to ensure consistency and effectiveness across state initiatives.

The Task Force is required to submit a comprehensive report to the Governor within 120 days and will issue periodic public summaries to promote accountability and inform future regulatory or legislative action.

A Coordinated Strategy

Together, the two executive orders reflect the Payne Administration’s broader strategy of proactive enforcement, interagency coordination, and economic transparency—building on prior successful approaches used in insurance and consumer protection oversight.

“These actions send a clear message,” Governor Payne added. “If you operate in San Andreas, you must compete fairly, price honestly, and respect the law. We will use every lawful tool available to protect residents and restore trust in our markets.”

Both executive orders take effect immediately.