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Annual Rent Review Program Evaluation FY 2014-2015 Page 4 of 11 Proposed Changes to the Rent Review Ordinance In Spring 2015, the City Council directed staff to outreach to the community and prepare amendments to the San Leandro Rent Review Ordinance to respond to the current rental market in San Leandro, modernize and clarify/streamline the Ordinance, and enhance administration of the Rent Review Program. Based on public feedback from tenants and landlords as well as the Rent Review Program administration experiences of City and ECHO Housing staff, staff prepared draft amendments to the Ordinance for public review. A community meeting was held on August 19th to gather community input. The Rent Review Board has reviewed and provided comments on the proposed Rent Review Ordinance at its August 25th, September 22nd, October 27th, and November 17th Rent Review Board meetings. The Rent Review Board supported the majority of the proposed amendments to the Ordinance, but formally approved specific amendments to the Ordinance that they recommended the City Council adopt. The Board approved the following four recommendations to the proposed Ordinance amendments: 1) Revise the definition of "Base Rent" to include renter's insurance and implementation of the Ratio Utility Billing System and revised the "Required Notice" to include habitability as required by law. 2) Raise the $75 rent increase threshold to $100. 3) Revise the definition of "Residential Property" in order to allow duplexes that are tenant- occupied to be eligible for rent review. 4) Prohibit a landlord for raising rents for a period of one year if the landlord does not appear without good cause at a Rent Review Board hearing. The Board unanimously approved Items 1-3 above, but were split (3 ayes, 2 no) on Item 4. Staff has incorporated Items 1-3 into the final draft Ordinance amendments for City Council review on December 7, 2015 (although the inclusion of renters insurance as base rent under Item 1 was not included because it would be problematic to administer). Staff did not include Item 4 because as the dissenting Board member noted there could be potential litigation to freeze a rent increase for 12 months based on a landlord’s non-showing without good cause at a Board hearing. Since the Ordinance was adopted in 2001, there has only been one instance when a landlord failed to appear at his rent review board hearing. All comments received, including those provided by the Rent Review Board, will be presented to City Council as part of the final proposed amendments to the Rent Review Board Ordinance on December 7, 2015.