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File Number: 16-693 <br />Ø New eligibility thresholds for a rent review hearing: <br />1. A rent increase greater than 7%, or <br />2. At least 2 rent increases in a 12-month period. <br />Ø Utility charges, including Ratio Utility Billing System (RUBS), upon initial conversion, <br />are considered a rent increase and are considered when assessing eligibility for review <br />by the Rent Review Board. <br />Ø Eligible residential properties for rent review include tenant-occupied duplex, triplex, <br />and 4-plex units (at least 2 rental units in a parcel). <br />Ø Landlords are now required to: <br />1. Provide tenants the “Notice of Availability of Rent Review” (Required Notice) in <br />English, Spanish, and Chinese. <br />2. Properly re-notice tenants if they provided improper rent increase notices. <br />CA Civil Code Sections 827(b)(1)(B),(2),(3); Code of Civil Procedure Section 1013 <br />require a landlord to either personally deliver the rent increase notice to tenant or <br />post and mail the rent increase notice to tenant and give additional 5 days’ notice. <br />3. Submit their response forms within 10 calendar days from their receipt of their <br />tenants’ rent review hearing request forms, or rent increase is void. <br />Ø Tenants are required to: <br />1. Request a rent review hearing within 21 calendar days of receipt (versus 15 <br />days in the original ordinance) of a notice of rent increase. <br />2. Pay the rent increase on the effective date (or another agreed upon date), but <br />may receive rental credit. <br />Ø Retaliatory Eviction language is incorporated in a new, separate section. Eviction <br />proceedings against a tenant for exercising his or her rights under the Ordinance is <br />considered a retaliatory eviction. <br />ECHO Housing is a full service and nonprofit housing counseling organization that provides <br />fair housing and tenant-landlord counseling services for the City. Since FY 2013-14, due to <br />the elimination of redevelopment agencies which necessitated staff reductions, the City has <br />outsourced the Rent Review Program’s administration to ECHO Housing. ECHO Housing <br />staff continues to be instrumental in processing the renters’ rent review request applications, <br />communicating with the landlords to obtain their rent review response forms, facilitating the <br />Rent Review Board hearings, and educating both tenants and landlords about the City’s Rent <br />Review Ordinance. <br />Analysis <br />San Leandro Rental Market <br />The City relies on RealFacts data provided by real ANSWERS, a research organization and <br />Page 2 City of San Leandro Printed on 3/13/2017 <br />125