RENT STABILIZATION BOARD
Special Meeting
Thursday, April 30, 2020 at 7:00 p.m.
PUBLIC ADVISORY: THIS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH VIDEOCONFERENCE AND TELECONFERENCE
Pursuant to Section 3 of Executive Order N-29-20, issued by Governor Newsom on March 17, 2020, this meeting of the City of Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board (Rent Board) will be conducted exclusively through teleconference and Zoom videoconference. Please be advised that pursuant to the Executive Order and the Shelter-in-Place Order, and to ensure the health and safety of the public by limiting human contact that could spread the COVID-19 virus, there will not be a physical meeting location available.
To access this meeting remotely: Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Android device by clicking on this URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84190038504?pwd=YTg4MGZMV0hvcGhDUzlQS2xMYUM3QT09. If you do not wish for your name to appear on the screen, then use the drop-down menu and click on "rename" to rename yourself to be anonymous. To request to speak, use the “raise hand” icon by rolling over the bottom of the screen.
To join by phone: Dial 1-669-900-6833 and enter Meeting ID: 841-9003-8504. If you wish to comment during the public comment portion of the agenda, Press *9 and wait to be recognized by the Chair.
To submit an e-mail comment to be read aloud during public comment, email amueller@cityofberkeley.info with the Subject Line in this format: “PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM #3.” Please observe a 150 word limit. Time limits on public comments will apply. Written comments will be entered into the public record. Email comments must be submitted to the email address above by 6:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting in order to be included.
Please be mindful that the teleconference will be recorded as any Rent Board meeting is recorded, and all other rules of procedure and decorum will apply for Rent Board meetings conducted by teleconference or videoconference.
This meeting will be conducted in accordance with Government Code Section 54953, 54956, and all current state and local requirements allowing public participation in meetings of legislative bodies. Any member of the public may attend this meeting. Questions regarding this matter may be addressed to Aimee Mueller, Rent Board Secretary, at (510) 981-4932 or amueller@cityofberkeley.info. The Rent Board may take action related to any subject listed on the Agenda.
Full Agenda Packet (PDF Copy)
RENT STABILIZATION BOARD
Special Meeting
Thursday, April 30, 2020
7:00 p.m.
AGENDA
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*Times allotted for each item are approximate and may be changed at the Board’s discretion during the course of this meeting.
1. Roll call – 1 min.*
2. Approval of Agenda – 1 min.*
3. Public Comment – 3 min. allotted per speaker*
4. CONSENT ITEMS – 1 min.*
a. Approval of the April 21st special meeting minutes
5. SPECIAL PRESENTATION: Update on housing legislation, including state and local protections related to the COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place Order (Brian Augusta & Associates and Lynn Wu, Staff Attorney)
a. State Legislative Report
6. ACTION ITEMS
a. From Board Members, Executive Director and Committees
(1) Discussion and possible action to adopt rules for conducting virtual meetings of the Rent Board (Chair Laverde & Vice-Chair Simon-Weisberg) – 10 min.*
(2) Recommendation to adopt Resolution 20-04 Setting the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020/21 Annual Registration Fee (due July 1, 2020) and Resolution 20-05 Authorizing the Pass-Through of a Portion of the Registration Fee to Certain Tenants (Executive Director) – 10 min.*
(3) Recommendation to adopt Resolution 20-06 Establishing the FY 2020/21 Summer Rental Registration Fee for Qualifying Fraternities and Sororities (Executive Director) – 10 min.*
(4) Discussion and possible action regarding recommendation that the Board support Assembly Bill (AB) 2406 [Rental Registry Data Collection] and AB 2463 [Preventing Foreclosures] and transmit letters of support to Senator Skinner, Assembly Member Wicks, and appropriate committees as needed (Commissioners Tregub & Chang) – 5 min.*
(5) Discussion and possible action regarding recommendation that the Board support the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Ordinance (TOPA) in Berkeley (Commissioners Igor Tregub, Chair Laverde & Vice Chair Simon-Weisberg) – 5 min.*
(6) Discussion and possible action regarding recommendation that the Board support strong Anti-displacement Policies and the #CancelRent Campaign During the COVID-19 Crisis (Commissioners Igor Tregub, Chair Laverde, Vice Chair Simon-Weisberg, Commissioner Poblet) – 10 min.*
(7) Proposal to approve staff recommendations on the following requests for waivers of late registration penalties (Executive Director) – 15 min.*
Ministerial Waivers
Waiver No. Property Address
4872 1685 Arch Street
4877 1518 Cornell Avenue
4880 2701 Grant Street
4882 2402 Roosevelt Avenue
4883 2433 San Pablo Avenue
4884 2815 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
4889 2 Virginia Gardens
Discretionary Waivers
Waiver No. Property Address
4850 2918 Adeline Street
4852 1770 La Loma Ave
4858 2700 Sacramento Street
4871 1527 Julia Street
4873 2634 Etna Street
4876 2106 Spaulding Avenue
4878 2730 Dwight Way
4879 1515 Harmon Street
4881 1624 Walnut Street
4890 1529 Alcatraz Avenue
4891 1525 Alcatraz Avenue
4892 1600 Tyler Street
4893 2116 Essex Street
7. INFORMATION, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS ARTICLES
Please Note: The Board may move Information Items to the Action Calendar.
a. Reports from Board Members/Staff
(1) March 4, 2020 East Bay Express article by Jean Tepperman titled, “A Different Relationship With Housing” (Commissioner Tregub) – 1 min.* https://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/a-different-relationship-with-housing/Content?oid=29077701
(5) April 6, 2020 The Daily Californian article by Gigi Nibbelink titled, “Emergency resolution allowing landlords to temporarily decrease rent without impacting rent ceiling passes” (Commissioner Tregub) – 1 min.* https://www.dailycal.org/2020/04/06/berkeley-rent-stabilization-board-passes-resolution-allowing-landlords-to-temporarily-decrease-rent-keep-rent-ceiling-intact/
8. COMMITTEE/BOARD MEETING UPDATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
a. Budget and Personnel – 3 min.*
b. Eviction/Section 8/Foreclosure – 3 min.*
c. Habitable & Sustainable Housing (HASH) – 3 min.*
d. IRA, AGA and Registration – 5 min.*
(1) April 24th agenda
e. Outreach – 3 min.*
f. 4 x 4 Joint Committee on Housing: City Council/Rent Board – 5 min.*
g. Ad Hoc Committee on Technology Issues – 3 min.*
h. Updates and Announcements regarding future Special Meetings – 3 min.*
i. Discussion of items for possible placement on future agenda – 3 min.*
9. ADJOURNMENT
COMMUNICATION ACCESS INFORMATION:
This meeting is being held in a wheelchair-accessible location. To request disability-related accommodation(s) to participate in the meeting, including auxiliary aids or services, please contact Aimee Mueller at 981-4932 or 981-6903 (TDD) at least three business days before the meeting date.
Please refrain from wearing scented products to this meeting.
COMMUNICATIONS DISCLAIMER:
Communications to Berkeley boards, commissions or committees are public record and will become part of the City’s electronic records, which are accessible through the City’s website. Please note: e-mail addresses, names, addresses, and other contact information are not required, but if included in any communication to a City board, commission or committee, will become part of the public record. If you do not want your e-mail address or any other contact information to be made public, you may deliver communications via U.S. Postal Service or in person to the secretary of the relevant board, commission or committee. If you do not want your contact information included in the public record, please do not include that information in your communication. Please contact the secretary to the relevant board, commission or committee for further information.