Correspondence - Non-Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

(1) Financing. The Rent Board shall finance its reasonable and necessary expenses, including without limitation and engage any staff as necessary to ensure implementation of this Chapter. The Rent Board shall accomplish this by charging Landlords an annual Rental Housing Fee as set forth herein, in amounts deemed reasonable by the Rent Board in accordance with applicable law, which shall not exceed the reasonable expenses for financing the Rent Board, as approved and authorized by the City Council. The Rent Board is also empowered to request and receive funding when and if necessary from any available source including the City for its reasonable and necessary expenses. (1) Rental Housing Fee. All Landlords shall pay a Rental Housing Fee on an annual basis. The first Rent Board convened after the effective date of this Chapter shall determine the amount of the Rental Housing Fee. The amount of the Rental Housing Fee may differ between Covered Rental Units or Rental Units/Dwelling subject to the entirety of this Chapter and those that are partially exempt. Following a duly noticed public hearing, the Rent Board may adjust the amount of the Rental Housing Fee to ensure full funding of its reasonable and necessary expenses, in accordance with all applicable law. (2) City to Advance Initial Funds. During the initial implementation of this Chapter, the City shall advance all necessary funds to ensure the effective implementation of this Chapter, until the Rent Board has collected Rental Housing Fees sufficient to support the implementation of this Chapter. The City may seek a reimbursement of any advanced funds from the Rent Board after the Rental Housing Fee has been collected. (m) Registration. Within thirty (30) days, after the initial Rent Board meeting, the Rent Board shall require the registration of a Covered Rental Unit/Mobilehome, which shall be re -registered annually, at all times deemed appropriate by the Board. The initial registration shall include the Rent in effect on February 25, 2020, the date of the adoption of the Ordinance codified in this Chapter, the address of the Covered Rental Unit/Mobilehome, the name and address of the Landlord, the housing services provided to the Covered Rental Unit/Mobilehome, and any other information deemed relevant by the Rent Board. If the Landlord has willfully and knowingly failed to register a Covered Rental Unit/Mobilehome, the Rent Board may authorize the Tenant/ Mobilehome Owner/ Resident of such a non -registered Covered Rental Unit/Mobilehome to withhold all or a portion of the Rent for the Covered Rental Unit/Mobilehome until the Covered Rental Unit/Mobilehome is properly registered. After a Covered Rental Unit/Mobilehome is properly registered, the Rent Board and/or a hearing examiner shall determine what portion of the withheld Rent is owed to the Landlord for the period when the Covered Rental Unit/Mobilehome was not properly registered. Whether or not the Rent Board allows such withholding, no Landlord who has failed to register properly shall at any time increase rents for Covered Rental Units/Mobilehomes until such spaces are properly registered. 63