Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Meeting Agenda: 06/17/2021

RENT STABILIZATION BOARD
Regular Meeting
Thursday, June 17, 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/93352509109?pwd=QUNOd2ovZUphWEYxL2xxRmhTM1FKdz09. 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: 933 5250 9109 and Passcode: 650166. 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, June 17, 2021
7:00 p.m.

Zoom Video Archive (3:39)

*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 May 6th regular meeting minutes
   2. Recommendation to adopt Resolution 21-12 Condemning the Illegal Evictions of Palestinians by the Israeli Government  (Vice Chair Alpert, Chair Simon-Weisberg, Commissioner Laverde and Commissioner Walker) (Amended Resolution 21-12)  (Final Resolution 21-12 Adopted by the Board)
5. Public Comment – 2 min. per speaker for items on the agenda*
6. ACTION ITEMS
   1. From Board Members, Committees, and Executive Director
      
      (1)  Recommendation to adopt Resolution 21-13 approving the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-2022 Line-Item Budget, Staffing Model and Expenditure Level  (Budget & Personnel Committee and Acting Executive Director) – 35 min.*
      
      (2)  Recommendation to adopt Resolutions 21-14 and 21-15 authorizing the Acting Executive Director to modify the contract with the Eviction Defense Center by an amount not to exceed $150,000 for FY 2021-2022, and to modify the contract with the East Bay Community Law Center by an amount not to exceed $150,000 for FY 2021-2022 (Eviction/Section 8/Foreclosure Committee and Acting Executive Director) – 5 min.*
      
      (3)  Recommendation to adopt Resolution 21-16 authorizing the Acting Executive Director to modify the contract with Brian Augusta & Associates for legislative advocacy by an amount not to exceed $60,000 for FY 2021-2022 (Budget & Personnel Committee and Acting Executive Director) – 5 min.*
      
      (4)  Recommendation to adopt Resolution 21-17 authorizing the Acting Executive Director to modify the contract with Berkeley Community Media to capture and telecast all Board meetings by an amount not to exceed $22,000 for FY 2021-2022 (Budget & Personnel Committee and Acting Executive Director) – 5 min.*
      
      (5)  Recommendation to adopt Resolution 21-18 authorizing the Acting Executive Director to modify the contract with QuickCaption, Inc. for remote closed captioning of all televised Board meetings by an amount not to exceed $7,000 for FY 2021-2022 (Budget & Personnel Committee and Acting Executive Director) – 5 min.*
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 annual registration processes for fully-covered units and Measure MM units for FY 2021-2022 – Verbal  (Acting Executive Director) – 5 min.*
      
      (2)  Update on the Safe Reopening Plan for resumption of in-person services to the public – Verbal  (Acting Executive Director) – 5 min.*
      
      (3)  Update on recent/upcoming Rent Board outreach events (Acting Executive Director) – 5 min.*
      
      a.  Wednesday, May 12, 2021 (10:00 – 11:30 AM) – Rent Board Registration 101/Registering your Berkeley Rental Property webinar
      
      (4)  May 11, 2021 letter to Assemblymember Ting and Senator Skinner conveying the Board’s support for Assembly Bill (AB) 1487  (Chair Simon-Weisberg & Vice Chair Alpert) – 2 min.*
      
      (5)  May 14, 2021 letter to Billi Romain and Katie Van Dyke in the Office of Energy and Sustainable Development with the Board’s comments on the Berkeley Draft Existing Buildings Electrification Strategy (Chair Simon-Weisberg) – 2 min.*
      
      (6)  May 5, 2021 The Intercept article by Rachel M. Cohen titled, “Startup Alternative to Rental Security Deposits Gets Legal Backing in Baltimore”  (Vice-Chair Alpert) – 1 min.*
      https://theintercept.com/2021/05/05/rhino-rent-security-deposits-baltimore/
      
      (7)  May 25, 2021 report by Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative, Housing Now!, and Policy Link titled, “Preventing an Eviction and Debt Epidemic: Delivering Effective Emergency COVID-19 Rental Assistance in California”  (Chair Simon-Weisberg) – 1 min.*
      
      (8)  May 26, 2021 KQED.org article by Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez titled, “Tenants Group Sues Property Firm Mosser in Test of Oakland Pandemic Protections” (Chair Simon-Weisberg) – 1 min.*
      https://www.kqed.org/news/11875215/tenants-group-sues-property-firm-mosser-in-test-of-oakland-pandemic-protections
      
      (9)  May 28, 2021 The Oaklandside article by Natalie Orenstein titled, “Does Oakland need a rental housing registry?” (Acting Executive Director) – 1 min.*
      https://oaklandside.org/2021/05/28/does-oakland-need-a-rental-housing-registry/
      
      (10)  June 8, 2021 The Daily Californian op-ed by Concerned Community Members of UC Berkeley and the City of Berkeley titled, “UC Berkeley should reconsider its proposed student housing plans at People’s Park, 1921 Walnut St.”  (Commissioner Laverde) – 1 min.*
      https://www.dailycal.org/2021/06/08/uc-berkeley-should-reconsider-its-proposed-student-housing-plans-at-peoples-park-1921-walnut-st/
      
      (11)  Date to submit agenda topics/items for the July 15, 2021 Rent Board meeting:  Friday, July 2nd (due to the Monday, July 4th holiday)
8. COMMITTEE/BOARD MEETING UPDATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
   1. Budget and Personnel Committee (Commissioner Selawsky, Chair) – 5 min.*
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting:  Thursday, July 8th at 5:00 p.m.
      
      (1)  June 1st agenda
   2. Eviction/Section 8/Foreclosure Committee (Commissioner Mendonca, Chair) – 5 min.*
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting:  Thursday, June 24th at 5:30 p.m.
      
      (2)  May 13th agenda
   3. IRA/AGA/Registration Committee (Commissioner Kelley, Chair) – 3 min.*
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting:  TBD
   4. Outreach Committee (Commissioner Laverde, Chair) – 5 min.*
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting:  Wednesday, June 16th at 5:30 p.m.
      
      (1)  May 19th agenda
      
      (2)  June 16th agenda
   5. 2 x 2 Committee on Housing: Rent Board/Berkeley Unified School District – 3 min.*
      Chair:  TBD
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting:  TBD
   6. 4 x 4 Joint Committee on Housing: City Council/Rent Board – 10 min.*
      Committee Co-Chairs:  Mayor Arreguín and Chair Simon-Weisberg
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting:  Wednesday, June 23rd at 3:00 p.m.
   7. Ad Hoc Committee on RSB Technology Issues (Chair TBD) – 3 min.*
      Next meeting date:  TBD
   8. Updates and Announcements – 3 min.*
   9. Discussion of items for possible placement on future agenda – 3 min.*
9. ADJOURNMENT