Item 25 - Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinances

Home Browse Search

Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinances October 4, 2022 Page 2 2 9 7 7 4. Compliance: a. Add a penalty for landlords who do not register units in the rental registry and prohibit rent increases if the rental unit registration is not complete. 5. Remove the following exemptions from the ordinance: a. “Housing restricted by deed, regulatory restriction contained in an agreement with a government agency, or other recorded document as affordable housing for persons and families of very low, low, or moderate income, as defined in Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code, or subject to an agreement that provides housing subsidies for affordable housing for persons and families of very low, low, or moderate income, as defined in Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code or comparable federal statutes.” b. “The provisions of this ordinance regulating the amount of rent that a residential real property Owner may charge shall not apply to residential real property in which each of the units have been substantially rehabilitated within the previous 15 years. For purposes of this section,” substantially rehabilitated" shall mean that the cost to rehabilitate the residential real property was at least $40,000 per unit.” Where the Long-Term Implementation Plan or City Council was silent on specific areas of the Ordinance, staff incorporated language that seeks to fulfill the spirit and intent of City Council. The Rental Housing Board was the only item where staff did not have clear direction. Rental Housing Board On September 6, 2022, City Council agreed that a Rental Housing Board (“Board”) should be appointed to conduct hearings on petitions and appeals, implement policies and procedures for the administration and enforcement of the Ordinance, and perform other duties as necessary. Staff originally recommended the Board to be made up of two (2) tenants, two (2) landlords, and three (3) at-large members with no financial interest. During the discussion and deliberation of the Long-Term Implementation Plan at the September 6, 2022 City Council meeting, staff understood that the majority of the City Council wanted to change the makeup of the Board from what was recommended by staff. A few Councilmembers discussed making the representation of tenants greater than landlords, but staff did not hear a majority consensus. Staff also understood that there was a majority consensus to include representation of a mobilehome tenant in the composition of the Board. The amendments to the Ordinance include a Board with three (3) tenants (including one (1) mobilehome tenant), three (3) landlords, and one (1) at- large member with no financial interest. This recommendation aligns most closely with the research and findings identified in the Long-Term Implementation Plan. However, since this policy direction was not clear at the September 6, 2022 City Council meeting, staff recommends City Council to deliberate and discuss the desired composition of the Board.