Berkeley Rent Board
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Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Meeting Agenda: 02/18/2021

For links to individual agenda items for this meeting, please see below.

RENT STABILIZATION BOARD
Regular Meeting
Thursday, February 18, 2021
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/94935840413?pwd=VFNXTm9MN2RYY1VPbW1UVmlWanJudz09. 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: 949 3584 0413 and Passcode: 417409. 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: “RENT BOARD MEETING PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM.” 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.

RENT STABILIZATION BOARD
Regular Meeting
Thursday, February 18, 2021
7:00 p.m.

Zoom Video Archive (2:36)

*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 – 2 min. per speaker for non-agendized items*
  4. CONSENT ITEMS – 1 min.*
    1. Approval of the January 21st regular meeting minutes
  5. SPECIAL PRESENTATION:  Honorary Resolution 21-02 to be presented to Gus Newport, former City of Berkeley mayor, in honor of Black History Month – Distributed at the meeting
  6. Public Comment – 2 min. per speaker for agendized items*
  7. ACTION ITEMS
    1. From Board Members, Committees, and Executive Director

      (1)  Discussion and possible action regarding Mid-Fiscal Year Budget Report and recommendation to adopt Resolution 21-01 which would adjust the staffing model to add a permanent Community Services Specialist II (Housing Counselor) to the Public Information Unit  (Acting Executive Director and Budget & Personnel Committee) – 25 min.*

      (2)  Proposal to approve staff recommendations on the following requests for waivers of late registration penalties (Acting Executive Director) – 10 min.*

      Ministerial Waivers
      Waiver No.         Property Address
      4931                   1520 Woolsey Street
      4935                   2317 Le Conte Avenue
      4936                   1327 Haskell Street
      4938                   1412 Kains Avenue
      4939                   2411 6th Street

      Discretionary Waivers
      Waiver No.         Property Address
      4933                   1819 9th Street
      4937                   1232 Ashby Avenue
  8. INFORMATION, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS ARTICLES
    Please Note:  The Board may move Information Items to the Action Calendar.
    1. Reports from Board Members/Staff

      (1)  Update on the Registration Unit’s January billing of penalties for late or unpaid registration fees  (Acting Executive Director) – 3 min.*

      (2)  Measure MM implementation update  (Acting Executive Director) – 15 min.*

      a.  February 2021 Measure MM mailing to 1,675 owners of rental properties subject to Measure MM

      b.  New Rent Board Registration webpage – Information for all types of registration (original link non-functional due to website transition)

      c.  New Measure MM Registration webpage (original link non-functional due to website transition)

      d.  New Fully-Covered Rental Registration webpage (original link non-functional due to website transition)

      (3)  Update on SB 91 Fact Sheet [COVID-19 relief: tenancy; federal rental assistance]  (Acting Executive Director & Legal Staff) – 5 min.*

      (4)  Update on recent Rent Board outreach events (Acting Executive Director) – 3 min.*

      a.  February 17th COVID-19 Update Webinar (10:00 - 11:30 a.m.)

      (5)  Discounted Rent offer information on the Rent Board website (IRA/AGA/Registration Committee) – 3 min.*  (original link non-functional due to website transition)

      (6)  January 31, 2021 San Francisco Chronicle article by Tatiana Sanchez, Catherine Ho and Mallory Moench titled, “California says equity is vital for vaccine distribution. But data is almost nonexistent”  (Commissioner Chang) – 1 min.*
      https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/California-says-equity-is-vital-for-vaccine-15910955.php

      (7)  Date to submit agenda topics for March 18, 2021 Rent Board meeting:  Monday, March 8th
  9. COMMITTEE/BOARD MEETING UPDATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
    1. Budget and Personnel – 3 min.*

      (1)  January 28th agenda
    2. Eviction/Section 8/Foreclosure – 5 min.*

      (1)  February 11th agenda
    3. Habitable & Sustainable Housing (HASH) – 3 min.*
    4. IRA/AGA/Registration – 5 min.*

      (1)  February 9th agenda
    5. Outreach – 5 min.*

      (1)  February 10th agenda
    6. 2 x 2 Committee on Housing: Rent Board/Berkeley Unified School District – 3 min.*
    7. 4 x 4 Joint Committee on Housing: City Council/Rent Board – 3 min.*
      Next meeting date: Wednesday, February 24th at 3:00 p.m.
    8. Ad Hoc Committee on RSB Technology Issues – 3 min.*
    9. Updates and Announcements – 3 min.*
    10. Discussion of items for possible placement on future agenda – 3 min.*

      At this point, the Board will adjourn to reconvene in closed session.  Following their return to open session, the Chair will publicly announce any reportable action taken.

      CLOSED SESSION:
      Pursuant to California Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1), the Board will convene in closed session for an update on litigation as follows:

      •  Marowitz v. City of Berkeley Rent Board (Alameda County Superior Court Case #RG19042977)

      •  Magganas v. City of Berkeley Rent Board (Alameda County Superior Court – Case # not yet assigned)

      •  Nanak Foundation v. City of Berkeley Rent Board  (Alameda County Superior Court Case #RG19047960)

      •  NCR Properties v. City of Berkeley Rent Board; City of Berkeley  (Alameda County Superior Court Case #RG19024268)

      •  Berkeley Rental Housing Coalition v. City of Berkeley Rent Board  (Court of Appeal, 1st App. District, Case #A160652)
  10. ADJOURNMENT

News

Aimee Mueller, Board Secretary
Email: amueller@cityofberkeley.info
Phone: (510) 981-4932