Item 17 - Review of Proposed Charter Amendments

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right to respond, and include a copy of the completed Petition and supportive documents. Any response submitted by the responding party will be made available to the petitioning party. (f) Hearing Officer. An impartial Hearing Officer appointed by the Program Administrator shall conduct a hearing to act upon the Petition. The Hearing Officer has the following powers: 1) To make a determination on a Petition; and 2) Any other powers delegated to the Hearing Officer by the Board. (g) Board Action in Lieu of Reference to Hearing Officer. The Board, on its own motion, in the Board's sole discretion, may hold a hearing on a Petition without the Petition first being heard by a Hearing Officer. (h) Time of Hearing. Each accepted Petition shall be scheduled for a hearing by the Hearing Officer to be held on a date not more than sixty (60) days from the date the Program Administrator accepts the Petition. With agreement of the parties, the Hearing Officer may hold the hearing beyond the sixty (60) days. In no event later than ten (10) days prior to the hearing, the Hearing Officer shall notify all parties as to the time, date, and place of the hearing. (i) Consolidation. All Landlord Petitions pertaining to Tenants in the same building shall be consolidated for hearing, and all Petitions filed by Tenants occupying the same building shall be consolidated for hearing, unless the Program Administrator or Hearing Officer finds good cause not to consolidate such Petitions. 0) Right of Assistance. All parties to a hearing may have assistance in presenting evidence and developing their position from attorneys, legal workers, or any other persons designated by said parties. (k) Rules of Evidence. Formal rules of evidence shall not be applicable to hearings on Petitions. At such a hearing, the parties may offer any documents, testimony, written declarations, or other evidence that, in the opinion of the Hearing Officer, is credible and relevant to the Petition. The Hearing Officer may consider the results of inspections of the property in question and the results of any other investigations conducted by or at the request of the Hearing Officer or Program Administrator. Evidence unduly repetitious, lacking credibility, or irrelevant evidence shall be excluded upon order by the Hearing Officer. (1) Evidence. Any party may appear and offer such documents, testimony, written declarations, or other evidence as may be pertinent to the proceeding. The Hearing Officer may require either party to a Petition to provide any books, records, or papers deemed pertinent, in addition to that information contained in the Petition and Rental Registry. The Hearing Officer may request the City to conduct a current building inspection if the Hearing Officer finds good cause to believe the current information does not reflect the current condition of the Rental Unit. All documents required under 27