Guest Opinion | Anthony Edson: Unfunded, Unnecessary, and Falsely Presented

In the wake of the devastating wildfires that have impacted our community, the Pasadena Rental Housing Board (PRHB) has taken steps that raise serious concerns. Following weeks of indecision and canceled meetings, the Board presented an updated proposal for protecting wildfire victims on February 27th, which will be discussed by the City Council in their regular meeting on March 3rd. We encourage all housing providers to attend tonight’s meeting.

A previous proposal from early February aligned with new Los Angeles County regulations, providing a targeted six-month eviction defense for fire victims. However, the latest update extends this moratorium to an untenable twelve months. This timeframe is excessive without regular review and oversight, especially considering that tenants will be allowed to “self-certify” their wildfire impact—a process that was severely abused during the COVID-19 eviction moratorium. As a result, housing providers are left without rental income for up to a year, subsequently forced to wait an additional twelve months to attempt to collect the owed rent.

More troublingly, the Rent Board has falsely claimed unanimous support for this extended proposal. In his memorandum to the City Council, Board Chair Ryan Bell states that a unanimous vote occurred on February 6th for an ordinance to protect tenants. However, this statement fails to mention that the February 6th vote only supported a six-month moratorium and that the February 27th vote for a year-long ordinance did not achieve unanimous consent.

In light of this misleading narrative, the Pasadena Housing Providers has sent the letter below to the City for consideration at Monday’s meeting:

Dear Members of the City Council,

In agenda item 8, you will be voting on a proposal presented by the Pasadena Rental Housing Board.

The memorandum dated February 27th claims that there was a unanimous decision by the PRHB at the meeting on February 6th. However, it is vital to note that the modified proposal currently before you did NOT achieve unanimous agreement during the PRHB meeting on February 27th.

This modified proposal now includes an extended moratorium period of twelve months instead of the previously agreed six months. This extension far exceeds the corresponding regulations established by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and, unlike the LA County regulation, contains NO proposal for funding the costs that will inevitably fall on landlords if tenants are unable to pay rent.

While we urge you to support an affirmative defense to keep fire victims housed, we advocate for the inclusion of the following safeguards:

• Set an initial period of six months, as unanimously approved by the Rent Board on February 6th; this can be extended if necessary.
• Charge City staff with developing mechanisms to assist landlords with the financial burdens of managing without rental payments for an extended duration.
• Require more than “self-certification” of financial hardship from affected tenants, as this type of attestation led to widespread abuse during the COVID eviction moratorium.

These changes will enable housing providers to continue their investments in Pasadena rather than prompting them to exit the market altogether.

Respectfully,

Pasadena Housing Providers

Note:
Memorandum sent to Pasadena City Council by PRHB
https://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/2025%20Agendas/Mar_03_25/AR%208.pdf