Pasadena Rental Housing Board Adopts Amendments to Rental Regulations in Response to Eaton Fire

The Pasadena Rental Housing Board (PRHB) has approved several amendments to its regulations in response to January’s devastating Eaton Fire. These amendments aim to provide additional protections to displaced residents, ensure stability for landlords and tenants, and facilitate the recovery process.

Temporary Protections for Additional Occupants and Pets

The PRHB has amended its regulations to temporarily prevent evictions for tenants who are sheltering displaced fire victims or their pets due to the Eaton Fire. This amendment extends protections beyond Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order N-11-25, which prohibits evictions for sheltering displaced individuals but does not cover displaced pets. The Executive Order is set to expire on March 8, 2025.

Under the amendment:

• Tenants in covered rental units cannot be evicted for housing unauthorized occupants or pets if they are providing shelter to Eaton Fire victims.
• These protections will remain in effect for 90 days following adoption by the Rental Housing Board, effective February 28, 2025.
• Tenants must provide proof of displacement, including but not limited to utility bills, mail, veterinarian records, photos, social media posts, emails, text messages, or official structure assessment maps listing the previous residence as destroyed or red-tagged.

Short-Term Rentals Amendment

In response to the ongoing impact of the Eaton Fire, the City of Pasadena is implementing provisions to extend temporary housing protections for displaced residents staying in hotels, motels, inns, and similar lodging accommodations.

From March 8, 2025, through May 1, 2025, these units will not be classified as Covered Rental Units under the Pasadena Charter Amendment unless at least three specific criteria in Section 1803(o) apply. This means that individuals who were forced to relocate due to the Eaton Fire and continue to pay a transient occupancy tax or have a written agreement under Pasadena Municipal Code Section 4.44.020 will retain their transient occupant status during this period.

Temporary Rent Reductions Without Impacting Base Rents

To facilitate recovery efforts, PRHB has amended Chapter 8: Procedures for Annual General Adjustment. This amendment allows landlords to temporarily reduce rent for fire-affected tenants while preserving their right to restore rent to its previous lawful amount without it being considered a new rent increase.

Key provisions include:

• Landlords and tenants may agree to a temporary rent reduction through a Voluntary Agreement, provided no other lease terms are modified.
• After the agreement ends, the landlord may restore rent to the prior lawful amount without it counting as a new rent increase under Article XVIII.
• Annual General Adjustments (AGAs) will be based on the rent amount before the Voluntary Agreement was executed.
• If the Voluntary Agreement lasts at least 13 months, landlords can still apply AGAs that take effect during that period after the agreement ends.

Notification & Filing Requirements:

• Landlords must provide tenants with at least 30 days’ notice before restoring rent.
• A sample notice form will be available through the Pasadena Rent Stabilization Department.
• Landlords must file copies of the Voluntary Agreement and Notice of Return to Prior Rent with the Department within seven days of execution and tenant notification, respectively.

Prorated Registration Fee Refund for Destroyed Rental Units

The PRHB has approved a prorated refund of the FY 2024-2025 Annual Registration Fee for landlords who paid the registration fee and whose covered rental units were destroyed by the Eaton Fire.  Each affected unit qualifies for a six-month refund of $61.43, representing 50% of the $122.86 registration fee.

These regulatory amendments reinforce Pasadena’s commitment to supporting both tenants and landlords in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire. By providing temporary eviction protections, clarifying short-term rental rules, allowing flexible rent adjustments, and issuing prorated registration fee refunds, the PRHB aims to facilitate a smoother recovery for the community.

For more details, visit the Rent Stabilization Department website or contact us at RentStabilization@CityofPasadena.net.