Rental Board to Consider Emergency Measures for Tenants Who Are Eaton Fire Victims

The Pasadena Rental Housing Board is scheduled to vote during a Special Meeting Thursday on a package of emergency measures focusing primarily on creating new tenant protections for those affected by the Eaton Fire while offering some relief for landlords who are willing to assist fire victims.

The open-to-the-public meeting is set for 6 p.m. today at Pasadena City Hall.

Board members are to consider recommending that the City Council establish an affirmative defense against eviction for tenants experiencing financial hardship due to the fire. This emergency ordinance would provide protection for tenants who self-certify their financial hardship under penalty of perjury.

The Board is also scheduled to vote on four resolutions addressing immediate housing concerns, including prohibiting landlords from evicting tenants who have temporarily taken in displaced people or pets. Another measure would exempt short-term rentals exceeding 30 days from certain regulations when housing fire victims.

These emergency measures are designed to extend protections beyond March 8, when Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Orders N-11-25 and N-14-25 are set to expire. The governor’s orders currently protect tenants housing fire victims and maintain transient occupancy status for displaced people staying in hotels beyond 30 days.

For landlords willing to assist tenants, the Board will vote on allowing temporary rent reductions without affecting future rent increase calculations, ensuring landlords can later return to pre-reduction rates without penalty.

The Board will also consider refunding prorated registration fees to 11 property owners whose rental units were destroyed in the fire. The refund would total $675.73, providing affected landlords with a 6-month refund at $61.43 per unit.

Several more complex issues have been postponed to future meetings, including regulations to reduce relocation payments for owner move-ins, rules governing repairs while tenants remain in possession, and tenant buyout regulations.

The Eaton Fire, which raged between January 7-31, destroyed approximately 117 single-family homes, 12 multi-family units, and 3 detached ADUs within Pasadena city limits, and damaged an additional 1,073 structures in the city. A city emergency declaration was issued January 8 and ratified by City Council on January 13.

The meeting agenda also includes a quarterly department update showing the Rent Stabilization Department is currently underspending its $4,756,411 budget, with $1,624,490 spent and $3,131,921 (66%) remaining as of December 31, 2024. This positive variance is primarily attributed to staff turnover for several senior positions prior to and during the second quarter of the fiscal year, timing of invoicing from vendors, and the department declining further tenant improvements that would incur additional expenses.

Board Chair Ryan Bell has also announced that all current ad hoc committees will terminate after the Board’s March 6 meeting to “comply with the spirit and letter of the Brown Act and ensure maximum transparency in the Board’s work.” Two of the three committees—Community Outreach and Policy and Programs—have been in existence for about 18 months, which exceeds the typical 6-month timeframe for ad hoc committees mentioned by the City Attorney.

The public may attend Thursday’s meeting in person at the Council Chamber, Room S249. Spanish language translation services will be available, and additional language translation services can be requested by calling (626)744-7999 at least 24 hours in advance. Assistive listening devices are also available at the meeting. The meeting notice was posted on February 25, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., and public comment will be limited to items on the special meeting agenda.