Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Meeting Agenda: 05/15/2025

RENT STABILIZATION BOARD
Regular Meeting
Thursday, may 15, 2025 – 7:00 p.m.
School District Board Room – 1231 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA

PUBLIC ADVISORY: THIS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID MODEL WITH BOTH IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE AND VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION.
For in-person attendees, face coverings or masks that cover both the nose and the mouth are encouraged. If you are feeling sick, please do not attend the meeting in person.

To access this meeting remotely: Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Android device by clicking on this URL: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82673809589?pwd=AghQhOkOTSC3kI2hDsqIxgiso6kYXh.1. 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 1-669-444-9171 and enter Webinar ID: 826 7380 9589 and Passcode: 244637. 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 a written communication for the Board’s consideration and inclusion in the public record, please email amueller@berkeleyca.gov with the Subject line in this format: “RENT BOARD MEETING PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM.” Please observe a 150-word limit. Email comments must be submitted to the email address above by 4:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting in order to be included.

Please be mindful that this will be a public meeting, and all rules of procedure and decorum apply for both in-person attendees and those participating by teleconference or videoconference.

This meeting will be conducted in accordance with Government Code Section 54953 and all current state and local requirements allowing public participation in meetings of legislative bodies. Any member of the public may attend this meeting at the posted location(s). Questions regarding this matter may be address to DéSeana Williams, Executive Director, at (510) 981-7368 (981-RENT). The Rent Board may take action related to any subject listed on the Agenda.

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 the Disability Services Specialist at (510) 981-6418 (voice) or (510) 981-6347 (TDD) at least three (3) business days before the meeting date.

Attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various scents, whether natural or manufactured, in products and materials. Please help the City respect these needs.

RENT STABILIZATION BOARD
Regular Meeting
Thursday, May 15, 2025 
7:00 p.m.
School District Board Room – 1231 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA

Video Archive (2:24)

AGENDA

*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. Land Acknowledgment Statement: The Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board recognizes that the rental housing units we regulate are built on the territory of xučyun (Huchiun-(Hooch-yoon)), the ancestral and unceded land of the Chochenyo (Cho-chen-yo)-speaking Ohlone (Oh-low-nee) people, the ancestors and descendants of the sovereign Verona Band of Alameda County. This land was and continues to be of great importance to all of the Ohlone Tribes and descendants of the Verona Band. As we begin our meeting tonight, we acknowledge and honor the original inhabitants of Berkeley, the documented 5,000-year history of a vibrant community at the West Berkeley Shellmound, and the Ohlone people who continue to reside in the East Bay. We recognize that Berkeley’s landlords and tenants have and continue to benefit from the use and occupation of this unceded stolen land since the City of Berkeley’s incorporation in 1878 and since the Rent Stabilization Board’s creation in 1980. As stewards of the laws regulating rental housing, it is not only vital that we recognize the history of this land but also recognize that the Ohlone people are present members of Berkeley and other East Bay communities today. – 2 min.*
    
4. Public Comment – 2 min.* 
    
5. Public Comment for Unions representing Rent Board staff – 5 min.*
    
6. CONSENT ITEMS – 1 min.*
    
   1. Approval of the April 17th regular meeting minutes – TO BE DELIVERED
       
   2. Proposal to approve staff recommendations on the following requests for waivers of late registration penalties (Registration Unit Manager/Staff)
      
      Ministerial Waivers
      Property Address
      
      2370 Marin Ave
      1639 San Pablo Ave
      1931 San Pablo Ave
      1092 Dwight Way
      1818 Alcatraz Ave
      803 Alvarado Rd
      2501 Dana St #5
      2109 Byron St
      2942 Hillegass Ave
      3224 Sacramento St
      1522 Alcatraz Ave
      1349 Channing Way
      
      Discretionary Waivers
      Waiver No.     Property Address
      
      W5151           1850 Arch St
      W5152           1862 Arch St
      W5153           2230 Blake St
       
7. ACTION ITEMS
   from Board Members, Committees, Executive Director or Staff
   
   Public comment will also be heard prior to the Board’s vote on each action item listed below – 1 min. per speaker*
    
   1. Chair Update (Chair Alpert): 
      
      (1)  Discussion and possible action on the impact of the Measure BB Fee structure on non-profit affordable housing (Chair Alpert & Vice-Chair Walker) – 10 min.*
      
      (2)  Discussion and possible action on the new Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)-Condo Conversion rules chapter in Title 21 (Senior Planner Lief Bursell & City of Berkeley Planning Staff) – 15 min.*
       
   2. SPECIAL PRESENTATION: Spring Legislative Update (Brian Augusta, Rent Board Legislative Advocate) – 20 min.*
      
      (1) Discussion and possible action for the Board to take a position on state legislative bills discussed at the meeting – 20 min.*
       
   3. Recommendation to adopt Resolution 25-13 authorizing the Executive Director to execute a contract amendment with 3Di through September 30, 2027, in an amount not to exceed $712,700 (Executive Director) – 5 min.*
       
8. INFORMATION, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ARTICLES/MEDIA
   from Board Members, Committees, Executive Director or Staff
   
   NOTE:  The Board may vote to move Information Items to the Action calendar.
    
   1. Copy of Measure BB informational postcards mailed to Berkeley property owners and tenants (Executive Director) – 3 min.*
       
   2. Outreach: Rent Board services on City of Berkeley Kiosks (Executive Director) – Verbal – 5 min.*
       
   3. Copy of Tenant Survey Cover Letter from the Executive Director (Outreach Committee) – 3 min.*
       
   4. Board-generated forms for tenants to use when creating Tenant Associations under B.M.C. Section 13.76.135 (LIRA Committee) – 3 min.*
       
   5. Deadline to submit agenda items/topics for the June regular Rent Board meeting: Friday, June 6th by 5:00 p.m. (Board Secretary)
       
9. COMMITTEE/BOARD MEETING UPDATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
    
   1. Budget & Personnel Committee (Vice-Chair Walker, Chair) – 5 min.*
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting: To Be Announced (TBA)
      
      May 1st agenda
       
   2. Climate Resilience & Habitability Committee (Commissioner Martinac, Chair) – 5 min.*
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting date: TBA
      
      May 5th agenda
       
   3. Eviction/Section 8/Foreclosure Committee (Chair TBA) – 5 min.*
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting: Tuesday, May 13th at 6:00 p.m.
      
      May 13th agenda
       
   4. Legislation, IRA/AGA & Registration Committee (LIRA Committee) (Chair Alpert, Chair) – 5 min.*
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting: Thursday, June 12th at 5:30 p.m.
      
      May 8th agenda 
       
   5. Outreach Committee (Commissioner Kelley, Chair) – 5 min.*
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting: Monday, May 12th at 6:30 p.m.
      
      May 12th agenda
       
   6. 2 x 2 Committee on Housing: Rent Board/Berkeley Unified School District 
      (Commissioner Marrero, Chair) – 5 min.*
      Next meeting date: TBA 
       
   7. 4 x 4 Joint Task Force Committee on Housing: City Council/Rent Board – 5 min.*
      (Councilmember Lunaparra & Chair Alpert, Co-Chairs)
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting: TBA
       
   8. Updates and Announcements – 5 min.*
       
   9. Discussion of items for possible placement on future agenda – 5 min.*
       
10. ADJOURNMENT