Item 26 - Long-Term Implementation Plan for the Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinances

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9 9 Sources: City Ordinances, May 2022; Zoom Interviews of Sample Jurisdictions conducted in May and June 2022 Program Design Recommendations Currently, the City does not collect any rent or tenancy data for individual rental units. The City cannot confirm or deny which specific units are covered under the RSO and JCEO and which units are exempt – a key piece of information for any jurisdiction administering these ordinances. All jurisdictions reported having a higher rate of compliance with their jurisdictions’ program requirements following the implementation of a rental registry. Collection of this data through a rental registry will provide a critical means of administering the ordinances and will provide the means to make informed, data-driven policy and administrative decisions to fulfill the objectives of the ordinances. The City should consider the following as part of their long-term implementation of the RSO and JCEO programs: 2. Create a Rental Registry – A rental registry is the most important tool used by jurisdictions to implement renter protections. A rental registry would allow the City to compile key data on rent- stabilized units, track allowable rent increases, monitor compliance with the City’s RSO and JCEO, and communicate rental unit data on a regular basis to both landlords and tenants. Through the collection, monitoring, and dissemination of allowable rents and rent increases, a rental registry establishes and makes accessible the rent limits for each covered unit. This in turn increases transparency, eliminates doubt regarding rent maximums, and provides a clear basis for both landlords and tenants to verify that their rents and rent increases comply with ordinance requirements. A well-maintained rental registry also increases compliance and in turn, creates a robust database full of accurate data. In general, the rental registry compliance rate was over 90% in the jurisdictions that provided this information indicating that the system paired with staff efforts to facilitate registration are effective. Note: City Council has recently enacted an ordinance for registering partially covered units. Fee undetermined. Fee study conducted by MGT of America built pre-July 1979 units whose tenants moved in before January 1996 are fully covered Post-January 1979 new construction units, properties with only one dwelling unit whose current tenant moved in after January 1996, and government owned or subsidized residential rental properties are partially covered Landlords of fully covered units can pass through half of the fee to tenants, except for Section 8 tenants Rental registry: HdL software