City Council OKs $500,000 Advance Funds for Pasadena Rental Housing Board

The City Council voted unanimously to allocate $500,000 from the Pasadena’s General Fund to the newly created Pasadena Rental Housing Board (PRHB).

The charter requires the city to advance necessary funds to the PRHB “to ensure implementation, which would include paying Board members and providing legal and administrative support until the Board gets up and running.” 

As per a report by City staff, the PRHB is required to establish a budget for the reasonable and necessary implementation of the Charter provisions, and City staff will return to the Finance Committee with regular updates on the status of the advance. 

Finance Director Matthew Hawkesworth said other cities, including the City of Mountain View, have start-up funds amounting to $300,000. 

Since Pasadena is a larger city as compared to Mountain View, $500,000 is “a reasonable amount of money,” said Hawkesworth.

“We think $500,000 is sufficient. But if it is not, it’s just an initial amount. We would come back and get more,” said City Manager Miguel Márquez.

Mayor Victor Gordo abstained from the voting as he owns a rental property in Pasadena. 

The PRHB will have the power to administer and enforce Measure H – the rent control charter amendment approved by 54% of Pasadena voters last year. 

The board is composed of 13 members. Two of them are alternates. 

They are expected to hold their first meeting on May 17.

The new law requires local landlords to roll back rents to May 2021 rates.

It also limits local rent adjustments annually to 75% of the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for multifamily rental units built before February 1, 1995, and prohibits evictions from rental units, except for just cause evictions based on 11 criteria.