Berkeley Rent Board
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Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Meeting Agenda: 03/18/2021

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

RENT STABILIZATION BOARD
Regular Meeting
Thursday, March 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/97466721904?pwd=UERxTHhJbHF3NjNzQWIvUkRiNElMdz09. 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: 974 6672 1904 and Passcode: 540475. 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, March 18, 2021
7:00 p.m.

Zoom Video Archive (5:08)

*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 February 18th regular meeting minutes
    2. 2021 Committee Assignments (Chair Simon-Weisberg)
  5. Public Comment – 2 min. per speaker for agendized items*
  6. ACTION ITEMS
    1. From Board Members, Committees, and Executive Director

      (1)  Recommendation to adopt proposed amendments to Regulation 1013 on first reading (IRA/AGA/Registration Committee and Acting Executive Director) – 10 min.*

      (2)  Recommendation to send a letter to Council with the Board’s comments, suggestions and concerns about the proposed fourplex zoning proposal  (IRA/AGA/Registration Committee) – 10 min.*

      (3)  Recommendation that the Chair disband the Habitable and Sustainable Housing Committee (HASH)  (Chair Simon-Weisberg and Acting Executive Director) – 5 min.*

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

      Ministerial Waivers
      Waiver No.     Property Address
      4932               1434 6th Street
      4948               1322 Curtis Street
      4950               1569 Arch Street
      4951               1802 Cedar Street
      4953               1441 Oxford Street
      4954               1615 McGee Avenue 

      Discretionary Waivers
      Waiver No.     Property Address
      4942                1418 67th Street
      4945                1528 Alcatraz Avenue
      4946                2756 Acton Street
      4955                1934 Stuart Street
      4956                2905 King Street
      4957                2922 Dohr Street
  7. 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 Measure MM implementation (Acting Executive Director) – 10 min.*

      (2)  Deadline to electronically file Annual Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700) is Thursday, April 1, 2021  (Acting Executive Director) – 2 min.*

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

      a.  Tuesday, March 9, 2021 (10:00 - 11:30 AM) – Rent Control Basics, Eviction Moratorium, COVID-19, and Measure MM webinar presented to Red Oak Realty

      b.  Wednesday, March 24, 2021 (10:00 - 11:30 AM) – Security Deposits: Rights and Responsibilities webinar

      c.  Wednesday, April 7, 2021 (10:00 - 11:30 AM) – Buying and Selling Rental Property in Berkeley webinar

      (4)  February 17, 2021 Berkeleyside article by John Metcalfe titled, "Berkeley may get rid of single-family zoning as a way to correct the arc of its ugly housing history”  (Commissioner Laverde) – 1 min.*
      https://www.berkeleyside.com/2021/02/17/berkeley-may-get-rid-of-single-family-zoning-as-a-way-to-correct-the-arc-of-its-ugly-housing-history

      (5)  February 18, 2021 The Daily Californian article by Annika Rao titled, “’A new standard’: Berkeley City Council hears quadplex zoning proposal”  (Commissioner Laverde) – 1 min.*
      https://www.dailycal.org/2021/02/18/a-new-standard-berkeley-city-council-hears-quadplex-zoning-proposal/

      (6)  February 19, 2021 The Daily Californian Editorial Board article titled, “Berkeley housing reforms should actively support communities most harmed by past injustice”  (Commissioner Laverde) – 1 min.*
      https://www.dailycal.org/2021/02/19/berkeley-housing-reforms-should-actively-support-communities-most-harmed-by-past-injustice/

      (7)  February 22, 2021 message from UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ to all UC Berkeley students titled, “An update from Chancellor Christ on two UC Berkeley student housing projects”  (Commissioner Laverde) – 1 min.*
      https://news.berkeley.edu/2021/02/22/an-update-from-chancellor-christ-on-two-uc-berkeley-student-housing-projects/

      (8)  February 24, 2021 Berkeleyside article by Supriya Yelimeli titled, “Berkeley denounces racist history of single-family zoning, begins 2-year process to change general plan”  (Commissioner Laverde) – 1 min.*
      https://www.berkeleyside.com/2021/02/24/berkeley-denounces-racist-history-of-single-family-zoning-begins-2-year-process-to-change-general-plan

      (9)  February 24, 2021 Los Angeles Times article by D. Victoria Baranetsky titled, “Op-Ed: You should have the right to know your landlord’s name”    (Commissioners Chang, Laverde & Mendonca) – 1 min.*
      https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-02-24/rental-housing-shell-companies-landlords

      (10)  March 3, 2021 The Brookings Institution article by Jenny Schuetz titled, “Four lessons from a year of pandemic housing policies”  (Commissioner Laverde) – 1 min.*
      https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2021/03/03/four-lessons-from-a-year-of-pandemic-housing-policies/

      (11)  March 3, 2021 The Davis Vanguard article by Koda Slingluff titled, “Uncertainty for Student Families in Berkeley’s University Village”  (Commissioner Laverde) – 1 min.*
      https://www.davisvanguard.org/2021/03/uncertainty-for-student-families-in-berkeleys-university-village/

      (12)  March 7, 2021 The Berkeley Daily Planet editorial by Becky O’Malley titled, “Why the Droste Resolution is Bad History, Bad Planning and Bad for Berkeley”  (Commissioner Laverde) – 1 min.*
      https://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2021-03-07/article/49038?headline=Why-the-Droste-Resolution-is-Bad-History-Bad-Planning-and-Bad-for-Berkeley--Becky-O-Malley

      (13)  Date to submit agenda topics/items for the April 15, 2021 Rent Board meeting:  Monday, April 5th
  8. COMMITTEE/BOARD MEETING UPDATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
    1. Budget and Personnel – 5 min.*

      (1)  February 25th agenda
    2. Eviction/Section 8/Foreclosure – 5 min.*

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

      (1)  March 2nd agenda
    5. Outreach – 5 min.*

      (1)  March 10th meeting – Cancelled
    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 – 10 min.*

      (1)  February 24th agenda packet

      (2)  March 10th agenda packet

      Next meeting date: Wednesday, April 28th 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.*
  9. SPECIAL PRESENTATION – Executive Director Transition Focus:  Consultant Report by Keren Stashower, The Centre for Organization Effectiveness

    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.
  10. CLOSED SESSION – Pursuant to California Government Code Section 54957(b)(1), the Board will convene in closed session as follows:

    PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUTION
    Title:  Acting Executive Director
  11. ADJOURNMENT

News

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