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be relevant to determining a fair resolution to the dispute. If the parties were able to reach <br />a resolution before the Board, they would formalize the agreement in a standard form <br />signed by both parties. A landlord or tenant who did not appear in person but instead sent <br />a representative would be deemed to have appeared for the hearing only if the <br />representative was authorized by his or her principal to answer for the principal and enter <br />into agreements on the principal's behalf. <br />• Postponement. If the parties could not reach a resolution during the Board hearing, the <br />Board could at its discretion postpone the issue for one month and require the parties to <br />return for a second and final Board hearing of their dispute. <br />Failure to Appear. If a landlord failed to appear before the Board without good cause, <br />the rent increase at issue in the hearing would be void and unenforceable. If a tenant failed <br />to appear before the Board without good cause, the Board would approve the rent <br />increase at issue in the hearing, and the tenant would be barred from subsequently <br />challenging the same increase before the Board. <br />Appeal to the City Council. If the parties were unable to come to a resolution before the <br />Board, either party could request that the matter be appealed to the City Council. At its <br />discretion, after either a first or second hearing, the Board could then forward the appeal <br />for hearing or other action by the Council. Whenever it forwarded an unresolved rent <br />dispute to the City Council, the Board would also provide notice of its action to the RHO. <br />• One Increase Per Year. Unless otherwise agreed by the landlord and tenant in writing or <br />unless the landlord had undertaken substantial repair or renovation work on the unit or <br />sold the property, as determined by the Board, rent increases would be limited to one <br />increase in any consecutive twelve-month period for so long as the unit was occupied by <br />the same tenant. <br />• Annual Review. The Board would prepare an annual report to the City Council assessing <br />the effectiveness of the Rent Review Program and recommending changes. <br />G:\DS\Staff Reports 2001\City Council\Rent ReviewBboard Proposal.doc <br />1'?0 <br />