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Fisher Broyles
<br />October 31, 2023
<br />Page 2 of 4
<br />provided from a Landlord to a Tenant by this Article or any other federal, state, or local law,
<br />including, but not limited to, notice of Rent Increase and notice of eviction." Municipal Code § 8-
<br />3160(g). This demand encompasses leases and rental agreements, which are private contracts
<br />between private parties, and not a matter of public record. The law requires landlords to turn over
<br />these records without the opportunity for pre -compliance review.
<br />In addition, under the City's law, "[t]he Board and/or Program Administrator may adopt
<br />policies and procedures that require additional information to be collected and recorded in
<br />Registration Forms in furtherance of the objectives of this Article." The Administrator wasted no
<br />time in identifying additional information beyond what section 8-3160(g) requires. In notices that
<br />the Administrator sent to all presumed landlords in the City,' the Administrator attached a "Rent
<br />Registry Checklist" stating the information that landlords purportedly must submit to the City via
<br />the portal. See Exhibit A ("Rental Registry Checklist"). Among the information required by the
<br />Administrator is "tenant information such as contact information and preferred language."
<br />Screenshots from the "rent registry" portal confirm that the Administrator is demanding personal
<br />information about tenants and is requiring landlords to inquire about tenants' "preferred language":
<br />Tenard imaa+mrx! m — `" Tenant Preferred Language
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<br />Violation of the "rent registry" requirements is punishable first "through the use of an
<br />administrative citation," then by "prosecution as a misdemeanor or infraction." Municipal Code §
<br />8-3200(a). A misdemeanor is a crime. People v. Park, 56 Cal. 4th 782, 789 (2013) ("The
<br />Legislature has classified most crimes as either a felony or a misdemeanor."). In addition, any
<br />T Even in sending out "rent registry" notices, the Administrator created utter confusion and
<br />consternation among the City's property owners. The City blindly sent out notices to any owner
<br />who pays property taxes, but has not claimed a homeowner's exemption. Those who improperly
<br />received a "rent registry" notice include owners of vacant lots, Mills Act properties, homes held
<br />in trust, short-term rentals (e.g., Airbnb's), corporate -owned housing for visitors, second homes.
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