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ATTACHMENT A San Leandro Rent Review Program The proposed Rent Review Program would establish a forum for non -binding arbitration of rent disputes between landlords and tenants. L The Program Rent Review Board. The City Council would appoint a Rent Review Board ("Board") to hear rent disputes between landlords and tenants. The membership of the Board would consist of two tenants, two landlords, and a fifth neutral member. • Initiation of Rent Review. Either party to a rent dispute could request a Board hearing for a proposed rent increase that 1) exceeds ten percent of the pre -increase rent, 2) in combination with previous rent increases during the prior twelve-month period exceeds ten percent of the rent at the beginning of such period, or 3) is more than $75 per month. Notice of Rent Increase. In addition to fulfilling state law requirements for notice of rent increases, landlords would be required to provide notice of the Rent Review Program when they provide notice of a rent increase to tenants. The ordinance would note that landlords are required by state law to provide thirty days notice of a rent increase of ten percent or less and sixty days notice for a rent increase greater than ten percent. If a landlord failed to provide notice of the Rent Review Program at the time he or she provides notice of the rent increase, such rent increase would be void and unenforceable. Contents of Notice. The notice of the Rent Review Program would 1) describe the tenant's right to request a hearing as set forth above, 2) encourage the tenant to contact the landlord to attempt to resolve the dispute privately prior to requesting a hearing but explain that such contact is not a requirement of the program, 3) provide the tenant with information about contacting the Board or scheduling a hearing, and 4) note that state law protects tenants from retaliation for the exercise of their legal rights. • Request for a Board Hearing. A tenant or landlord could request a hearing before the Board by submitting a hearing request form within fifteen days of the tenant's receipt of the notice of rent increase. Notice of Hearing. After receiving the request and determining that the proposed rent increase met the criteria for initiation of rent review set forth above, the Board would provide notice of the hearing's date and location at least ten days prior to the hearing. The landlord's notification letter would encourage him or her to contact the tenant directly, or to contact the Rental Housing Owners Association of Southern Alameda County ("RHO"), to try to resolve the dispute prior to the hearing. • Conduct of Board Hearings. After hearing from the landlord and the tenant or their designated representatives, the Board would make a recommendation to the parties for a resolution of their dispute, taking into consideration such factors as the hardship to the tenant, the frequency and amounts of prior rent increases, the landlord's mortgage payments and qualifying extraordinary costs of maintaining the property, and the landlord's interest in earning a reasonable rate of return, as well as other factors that may 1 (�9