The City Council unanimously passed on second reading an ordinance to establish the Pasadena Rental Housing Board (PRHB) as a City department.
Mayor Victor Gordo recused himself from voting because he owns a rental property in Pasadena.
The ordinance establishing the Rent Stabilization Department seeks to implement the PRHB’s Term Sheet, a document adopted by the Rental Housing Board on October 25, which contains the Board’s specific requests related to its integration as a City department.
PRHB was originally independent from the City Council but to resolve concerns regarding staffing and procurement, which were not addressed in the Measure H charter amendment, members of the Board had pushed for its integration as a City department.
“Pursuant to Article XVIII of the City Charter, and upon request of the rental housing Board, there is created a functional unit of City government known as the rent stabilization department, under the general administration of the City manager, which shall be under the direction and control of the executive director of the rent stabilization department,” the ordinance reads.
The ordinance gives the PRHB power to administer all laws, ordinances or regulations as they relate to Article XVIII of the City Charter, provide staff services to support the Rental Housing Board and perform such other related duties as shall be required by law, ordinance or the City manager.
The ordinance provides that PRHB procurements will be subject to City charter requirements that require certain contracts be subject to competitive bidding process.
Last week the City Council made a change to the ordinance that required it be reviewed after two years instead of sunsetting.
Councilmember Steve Madison said deleting the sunset provision is the legal thing to do.
“The part that troubles me is the sunsetting of this. The voters adopted the charter amendment. It’s now our obligation to carry out the will of the voters.”
“I don’t know where we would find the authority or the policy support for saying that we are going to take it away.”
“I suppose the right thing to do and the legal thing to do is to do everything except the sunset and we can come back every month if we want to discuss a better way, or a different way.”
The ordinance provides that the Rent Stabilization Department’s Director and all other staff of PRHB will be employees of the City hired in accordance with standard City process.
The ordinance will take effect upon publication and will be reevaluated by the City Council on or before December 10, 2025.
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