Pasadena Fills Key Housing Board Seats Amid Tenant-Landlord Tensions

The Pasadena City Council appointed five members to the city’s Rental Housing Board Monday night, filling positions amid sharp disagreements over whether the board’s structure adequately represents property owners in a city where renters make up the majority of residents.

The unanimous appointments came as several board members reached their term limits, requiring new selections to maintain the board’s full membership of 11 primary members plus two alternates who shape rental housing policy in Pasadena following the passage of a rent control charter amendment in 2022.

“I appreciate the work that we’ve done,” said Brandon Lamar, who was moved from an at-large position to an alternate tenant seat. “I’ve been in positions where I’ve been able to build programs from the ground up and I know it takes time.”

The council appointed Allison Henry (District 3), Christine Rodriguez (District 5), and Deborah Dunlop (District 7) as tenant representatives, each receiving four-year terms ending May 24, 2029. Rodriguez’s appointment created a vacancy in the alternate tenant position she previously held, which the council filled by appointing Lamar to serve the remainder of that term ending May 24, 2027.

For the two at-large positions, council members used a point-based consensus-building process, ranking their preferred candidates with five points for first choice, four points for second, and so on. The City Clerk tabulated these rankings from the pool of 11 qualified applicants.

Emily Wemberg received the highest support with 21 points from five councilmembers and was unanimously appointed to the first at-large seat. After further deliberation between the next highest-ranked candidates, the council selected Varouge Mesrobian for the second at-large position with 17 points, followed closely by Exie Marie Leagons with 16 points and Brandon Lamar with 15 points.

The appointments followed contentious public comments that highlighted the ongoing friction between tenant advocates and property owners in Pasadena’s housing landscape.

Several speakers criticized the board’s composition, which requires seven of the 11 primary members to be tenants with no interest in rental property, while four are at-large members.

“The rental Board needs to reflect the entire housing ecosystem,” said Lourdes Gonzalez, a current board member and small property owner. “That includes tenants, yes, but also homeowners, small housing providers and professionals who understand the complexities of housing in their city. Otherwise, we risk creating policy in a vacuum.”

Adam Bray-Ali, a public commenter, called the board “unelected and unaccountable” during public comments, emphasizing that these appointments represented “the one time that you can hold the Rental Housing Board accountable” given members’ four-year terms.

Other speakers defended the board’s structure, arguing it accurately reflects Pasadena’s demographics. Peter Dreier, a current board member, noted that approximately 57% of Pasadena residents are renters, while about 43% are homeowners.

“So if there’s any missing representativeness on the Board, it’s homeowners that are not landlords,” Dreier said, adding that the board’s actions have likely saved tenants between $10-20 million, benefiting the local economy.

Ryan Bell, the Board’s Chair, encouraged councilmembers to “consider tenants as rational actors who have the ability to consider complex ideas and come to reasonable conclusions.” He invited councilmembers to attend Board meetings to judge for themselves rather than relying on characterizations from critics.

The disagreement over representation comes at a time when housing affordability remains a critical issue across California. Pasadena, like many cities in the region, has experienced rising rents and housing costs that have strained both tenants and small landlords.

Deborah Dunlop, reappointed as District 7’s tenant representative, pushed back against suggestions that tenant members lack real estate expertise.

“I’ve been a homeowner, a landlord, and I’m currently a tenant. I personally bring 30 years of real estate experience,” she said, noting her background includes work as a broker, escrow officer, title officer, and real estate paralegal.

The appointment process began in February when City Clerk Mark Jomsky opened an application period, receiving 15 submitted applications with 14 verified as complete. Both Mayor Gordo and Councilmember Hampton recused themselves from the vote due to ownership interests in rental property in Pasadena.

Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas observed during the meeting: “I think it’s interesting that this body now, if I count, has five landlords,” suggesting the Rental Board provides necessary balance in housing policy decisions.

Alternates on the Board, including the newly appointed Lamar, may participate in discussions during meetings but are only authorized to vote in the absence, recusal, or vacancy of a primary member.

The newly appointed members’ terms will begin May 25, with the next round of appointments scheduled for 2027.