Rental Board Set to Decide on Rules of Conduct and Department Budget

The Pasadena Rental Housing Board is poised to make key decisions about its internal governance and financial future during its regular meeting this Thursday, May 15, at 6:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chamber.

At the center of the agenda are two significant items: amendments to the Board’s rules of conduct and the adoption of the Rent Stabilization Department’s $5.3 million operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The proposed code of conduct rules, which have been under development for several months, would establish clear standards for Board member behavior and a formal process for handling violations. The rules would outline a multi-step enforcement process that includes warnings, motions to censure with penalties such as withholding benefits or issuing fines, and in cases of repeated or significant violations, petitioning the City Council for a member’s removal.

The most contentious changes involve clarifying what constitutes a violation serious enough for removal and establishing a process that includes anonymous reporting options for certain violations while protecting Board members’ due process rights.

During the May 1 meeting, Board members requested several modifications, including eliminating or clarifying language about understanding responsibilities, changing the word “citizen” to “constituent,” and adjusting procedures for reporting violations.

The fiscal year 2026 budget proposal of $5,378,088 represents an increase from the current year’s budget of $4,696,732. The proposal would fund 21 full-time positions, up from the current 17 positions, adding a Program Coordinator II, a Public Information Specialist, a Housing Counselor, and a Customer Service Representative. These new positions would help the department manage its expanding responsibilities as the rental registry and enforcement operations mature.

Department staff reported that revenue collection began with the launch of the rental registry in September 2024, with $3,978,146.88 collected as of May 9, 2025. However, a revenue shortfall of at least $1.5 million exists, with $557,387.16 due to 2,596 units granted exemptions and $977,359.92 from 4,552 units determined to be non-rentals. Despite the revenue, when accounting for earlier years’ expenditures, the Fund balance currently stands at -$1,033,887.

The rental registry has achieved an 81% substantial compliance rate, with 4,904 properties (63%) completing registration, 832 properties (11%) granted exemptions, and 1,463 properties (19%) still in “Registration Open” status as of May 9, 2025.

The Board will also review its first quarterly report to the City Council, which details 148 eviction-related actions between January and March 2025. Housing counselors handled 962 tenant inquiries during this period, with the top concerns being rent increases (18.9%), questions about rent stabilization laws (13.8%), and repairs/habitability issues (13.5%).

The Hearings Division, which launched its online filing portal in February, has received 19 petition filings between February 6 and May 9, 2025. These include 12 landlord objections to denied exemption requests and 8 tenant-initiated downward adjustment of rent petitions. Three settlement conferences have been held, with one petition settled during conference. The division anticipates Petition for Rent Withholding filings soon.

The quarterly report also highlights the Board’s actions in response to the Eaton Fire in January 2025, including recommendations for eviction defense for affected tenants.

The Director’s report notes upcoming training sessions, including one on May 13, covering Rent Rollback and Rent Increases, with monthly sessions continuing throughout the year.

There was also discussion about potentially increasing the Goldfarb & Lipman legal services budget allocation above the recommended $50,000 for Fiscal Year 2026, though the ultimate decision rests with the City Attorney’s Office.

Members of the public may attend the meeting in person at 100 North Garfield Avenue, Room S249, or participate virtually via Zoom using meeting ID: 898 165 902 99. In-person attendees can submit speaker cards prior to public comment periods, while virtual participants can use the “raise hand” feature in Zoom. Written comments can be submitted in advance to rentalboard@cityofpasadena.net.