RENT STABILIZATION BOARD
Regular Meeting
Thursday, November 19, 2020
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://zoom.us/j/99876939267?pwd=VU40WmVuc2RuMVF1aXFqWTJoekVqQT09. 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: 998 7693 9267 and Passcode: 328350. 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 5:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting in order to be included.
Please be mindful that this meeting will be 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 Matt Brown, Acting Executive Director, at (510) 981-7368. The Rent Board may take action related to any subject listed on the Agenda.
Full Agenda Packet (PDF Copy)
RENT STABILIZATION BOARD
Regular Meeting
Thursday, November 19, 2020
7:00 p.m.
Zoom Video Archive (2:28)
Many of the links below lead to PDF files that require Adobe Acrobat Reader to be installed on your computer.
You can download Acrobat Reader for free
*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. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS
5. CONSENT ITEMS – 1 min.*
6. ACTION ITEMS
a. From Board Members, Committees, and Executive Director
(2) Recommendation that the Board adopt modified Rent Board office hours to close from December 24-31 to align with City service delivery during the last week of December – Verbal (Acting Executive Director & Chair Laverde) – 5 min.*
Ministerial Waivers
Waiver No. Property Address
4929 1311 Addison Street
Discretionary Waivers
Waiver No. Property Address
4921 2555 Virginia Street
4928 1522 Prince 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) Update regarding November election of new Rent Board Commissioners – Verbal (Acting Executive Director) – 5 min.*
(4) Rent Board’s 2021 Annual General Adjustment (AGA) & Security Deposit Interest Information postcard mailed to owners and tenants in early November (Acting Executive Director) – 3 min.*
(5) Update on recent Rent Board outreach events (Acting Executive Director) – 5 min.*
a. October 14th @ 10:30 a.m. – Security Deposits Webinar
b. October 21st @ 10:30 a.m. – Rental Housing & COVID-19 Webinar
c.
Virtual Cal Counseling – 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month (excluding holidays)
(6) California Courts “New Laws Apply to Eviction Cases” webpage with synopses and resources for tenants and landlords (Commissioner Tregub) – 3 min.*
https://www.courts.ca.gov/44660.htm(7) California Not for $ale” website (Commissioner Tregub) – 3 min.* https://californianotforsale.org/
(8) Update on communications with People First Portland (Maine) regarding efforts to implement their rent stabilization ordinance (Acting Executive Director) – 3 min.*
(9) November 5, 2019 (sic) The Daily Californian article by Audry Jeong titled, “State Treasurer’s Office allocates funds for affordable housing” (Commissioner Tregub) – 1 min.* https://www.dailycal.org/2019/11/05/state-treasurers-office-allocates-funds-for-affordable-housing/
(17) November 3, 2020 Berkeleyside staff article titled, “By the numbers: Berkeley’s 2020 election results” (Chair Laverde) – 1 min.*
https://www.berkeleyside.com/2020/11/03/berkeley-2020-election-results#disqus_thread
(18) November 4, 2020 Berkeleyside article by Frances Dinkelspiel titled, “The pro-tenant, ‘Right To Housing’ slate sweeps Berkeley rent board election” (Chair Laverde) – 1 min.* https://www.berkeleyside.com/2020/11/04/berkeley-ca-rent-board-election-2020
8. COMMITTEE/BOARD MEETING UPDATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
a. Budget and Personnel – 5 min.*
b. Eviction/Section 8/Foreclosure – 5 min.*
c. Habitable & Sustainable Housing (HASH) – 3 min.*
d. IRA, AGA and Registration – 5 min.*
e. Outreach – 3 min.*
(1) November 18th agenda
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
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 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.