Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Meeting Agenda: 09/23/2021

RENT STABILIZATION BOARD
Regular Meeting
Thursday, September 23, 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://us06web.zoom.us/j/85897681734?pwd=VnBEOTZieGFOWHlXRkQzd2dubXN1Zz09. 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: 858 9768 1734 and Passcode: 633747. 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, email amueller@cityofberkeley.info with the Subject Line in this format: “RENT BOARD MEETING PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM.” Please observe a 150-word limit. 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, September 23, 2021
7:00 p.m.

Zoom Video Archive (pending)

5:00 p.m. – CLOSED SESSION

Prior to the public meeting, the Board will convene in closed session to discuss the following items pursuant to the Government Code sections listed below:

Public Employee Appointment pursuant to Government Code Section 54957(b)(1)
Title: General Counsel

Conference with Labor Negotiators pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6
Agency Designated Representative: Board Chair
Unrepresented Employee: General Counsel

Public Employee Appointment pursuant to Government Code Section 54957(b)(1)
Title: Executive Director

Conference with Labor Negotiators pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6
Agency Designated Representative: Board Chair
Unrepresented Employee: Executive Director

The Board will announce any action taken during closed session at the start of the open session.

*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. Introduction of recently-hired Rent Board staff – 5 min.*
4. Public Comment – 2 min. per speaker for non-agendized items*
5. Public Comment – 2 min. per speaker for items on the agenda*
6. CONSENT ITEMS
   1. Approval of the June 17th regular meeting minutes
   2. Approval of the July 15th regular meeting minutes
   3. Recommendation to adopt Resolution 21-21 authorizing the purchase of 14 laptops for staff’s use for remote work (Acting Executive Director)
   4. Proposal to extend allowance for exclusively remote housing counseling until the end of the calendar year  (Chair Simon-Weisberg, Vice-Chair Alpert & Acting Executive Director)
   5. Recommendation to adopt Resolution 21-22 to approve a contract to fund report from  the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project regarding Berkeley Upzoning (IRA/AGA/Registration Committee)
   6. Proposal to approve staff recommendations on the following requests for waivers of late registration penalties (Acting Executive Director & Registration Unit Supervisor)
      
      Ministerial Waivers
      Waiver No.     Property Address
      4982                2041 Lincoln Street
      4985                2321 Blake Street
      4987                1930 Blake Street
      4994                1529 Tyler Street
      4995                2541 Piedmont Avenue
      
      Discretionary Waivers
      Waiver No.     Property Address
      4980                1524 Arch Street
      4987                1520 Berkeley Way
      4988                 2238 Roosevelt Avenue
      4989                 2351 West Street
      4991                 2502 Webster Street
      4996                 1619 Walnut Street
7. ACTION ITEMS
   1. From Board Members, Committees, and Executive Director
      
      (1)  Discussion and possible action to adopt proposed Resolution 21-20 to appoint General Counsel and approve Employment Agreement (Budget & Personnel Committee) – 10 min.*
      
      (2)  Recommendation to adopt proposed amendments to Regulation 503 [Definition of Principal Residence] – First reading (IRA/AGA/Registration Committee & Legal Staff) – 10 min.*
      
      (3)  Recommendation to adopt Resolution 21-23 allowing landlords to use Regulation 1017 to provide temporary, below-market rental housing in Berkeley to disaster victims displaced by the Northern California wildfires and to refugees fleeing the Afghanistan conflict  (IRA/AGA/Registration Committee & Acting Executive Director) – 10 min.*
      
      (4)  Recommendation to adopt Resolution 21-24 to express support for the Mayor’s proposal to expand the Berkeley Fair Elections Program to include the Rent Board Commissioners  (IRA/AGA/Registration Committee) – 5 min.*
      
      (5)  Recommendation to adopt Resolution 21-25 in support of Net Energy Metering  (Vice-Chair Alpert, Chair Simon-Weisberg & Commissioner Kelley) – 5 min.*
      
      (6)  Discussion and possible action to amend the Board’s 2021 Regular Meeting schedule (Acting Executive Director & Chair Simon-Weisberg) – 10 min.*
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 regarding fee collection and amnesty for penalties – Distributed at the meeting (Acting Executive Director & Registration Unit Supervisor) – 10 min.*
      
      (2)  Fair Chance Implementation update (Acting Executive Director) – 5 min.*
      
      (3)  Letter to Governor Newsom requesting extension of allowance for fully remote meetings (Acting Executive Director) – 1 min.*
      
      (4)  Report regarding COVID-related state financial assistance and eviction numbers for the City of Berkeley (Acting Executive Director) – 5 min.*
      
      (5)  August 9, 2021 letter from Board Chair to City Auditor regarding potential audit of Rent Board  (Chair Simon-Weisberg) – 2 min.*
      
      (6)  Date to submit agenda topics/items for the October 21st Rent Board meeting:  Friday, October 8th
9. COMMITTEE/BOARD MEETING UPDATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
   1. Budget and Personnel Committee (Commissioner Selawsky, Chair) – 5 min.*
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting:  TBA
      
      (1)  August 31st agenda
   2. Eviction/Section 8/Foreclosure Committee (Commissioner Mendonca, Chair) – 5 min.*
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting:  Thursday, October 14th at 5:30 p.m.
      
      (1)  July 29th agenda
   3. IRA/AGA/Registration Committee (Commissioner Kelley, Chair) – 5 min.*
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting:  Wednesday, October 13th at 5:00 p.m.
      
      (1)  July 28th agenda
      
      (2)  September 8th agenda
   4. Outreach Committee (Commissioner Laverde, Chair) – 5 min.*
      Next regularly-scheduled meeting:  TBA
      
      (1)  July 21st agenda
      
      (2)  September 15th agenda
   5. 2 x 2 Committee on Housing: Rent Board/Berkeley Unified School District (Chair TBA) – 3 min.*
      Regularly-scheduled meeting date: TBA
   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, September 22nd at 3:00 p.m.
      
      (1)  September 22nd agenda
   7. Ad Hoc Committee on RSB Technology Issues (Chair TBA) – 3 min.*
      Next meeting date:  TBA
   8. Updates and Announcements – 3 min.*
   9. Discussion of items for possible placement on future agenda – 3 min.*
10. ADJOURNMENT