City of Burbank
Potential Local Rent Cap Study
October 15, 2024
Over the past 90 days, the City of Burbank embarked on a robust public engagement initiative designed to address one of the community’s most pressing concerns—rising rent costs. The City’s potential local rent cap study aimed to foster open dialogue between residents, tenants, and landlords, gathering valuable input on potential updates to the City’s rent protection policies, including the exploration of a local rent cap.
Five interactive community meetings were held, both in-person and virtually, across a range of locations and times to accommodate the diverse needs of Burbank’s population. To further engage Burbank’s constituents, the City also launched an online feedback platform, providing an additional space for those unable to attend in person to contribute their insights at their convenience. The engagement program was supported by a comprehensive public outreach effort to spread the word resulting in more than 1,000 individuals providing their feedback.
The study’s findings will play a critical role in shaping the future of tenant protection policies in Burbank. The City’s commitment to inclusivity, transparency, and responsiveness throughout this process has ensured a wide range of voices were heard, helping to guide meaningful policy decisions that reflect the needs of the entire community. 2 Study Process
Outreach Community
Meetings
Public
Input
3 Outreach
To reach people where they are, our team
attended five local community events to
promote the potential local rent cap community
meeting, distributing 400+ flyers.
1. Downtown Burbank Cultural Market – Friday, August 2
2. Starlight Bowl – Saturday, August 3
3. National Night Out – Tuesday, August 6
4. Burbank Farmer’s Market – Saturday, August 24
5. Magnolia Park Night Out – Friday, August 30
In-Person
Engagement
4 Outreach
Comprehensive noticing effort to reach
community members in all areas of the City.
1. Printed materials placed in City facilities, distributed to participants enrolled in the 55+ nutrition program, and in Parks afterschool programs
2. 50 lawn signs in high traffic areas
3. Nine retractable banners in City facilities
4. Seven large format posters in City parks
5. Poster displays at Metrolink Downtown Burbank
station
Printed
Material
5 6
Distribution
of Outreach
Material/Signage
7 Outreach
Project website provided information such as
background, meeting dates, and an online
feedback platform. All information was
available in English, Spanish, and Armenian.
1. Launched July 29, 2024
2. 9,700+ unique visitors to website
3. Updated throughout the program including adding a
recording of virtual meetings
Website
8 9
Website Screenshot
Website Screenshot
Outreach
Community meetings and website promoted on
all City social media accounts including
Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, and X.
12 posts/re-shares between July 29 and September 25
Social
Media
10 11
Sample of Social
Media Graphics
Outreach
Print and digital paid advertisements in English,
Armenian, and Spanish.
1. Los Angeles Times – Digital ads between August 15 to September 15
2. Burbank Leader – Two half-page printed ads (August 17 and September 7) and digital ads between August 15 to September 15
3. myBurbank (digital) – Digital ads between August 15 to September 30
4. Asbarez (Armenian) (print and digital)
5. La Opinión (Spanish) - Digital ads between August 15 to September 15
6. El Clasificado (Spanish) – Two half-page printed ads (August 14 and August 28) and digital ads between August 15 to September 15
7. Digital advertisements through Google Ads
Paid
Advertisements
12 13
Outreach
Community meetings and website promoted
through various City communication platforms.
1. July 29 Press release announcing community meeting series
2. Ten e-blasts promoting meetings and online feedback
platform: Seven from the City’s account and one each from Parks and Recreation, Joslyn Adult Center, and Economic Development e- blast for businesses
3. Five Burbank City Council meeting announcements
4. Announcements at Planning Commission and Landlord-Tenant Commission meetings
5. Insert in Burbank Water and Power bills
Press Release ,
E-Blasts &
Announcements
14 Outreach
1. City’s on-hold phone message promoting the project
2. City Website homepage icons and digital calendar
3. Distributed information in City and partner newsletters:
• Chamber of Commerce e-newsletter, Burbank Public Library e- newsletter, Parks and Recreation Guide print & digital newsletters, Police Department e-newsletter, 55 & Beyond print & digital newsletters, BWP Digital Currents e-newsletter
4. The Burbank channel rotating bulletin (Spectrum Channel 6, AT&T Channel 99)
5. TV bulletin played on loop at the Joslyn Adult Center
6. Our Burbank 311 homepage notice
Additional
Efforts
15 Community Meetings
Five community meetings were held, three in-person
and two virtual, at a variety of locations, times, and
days of the week to ensure as many people as
possible could attend. Interpretation services and all
event materials were provided in Armenian and
Spanish.
1. Joslyn Adult Center – Saturday, September 7 at 9 a.m.
2. Virtual – Monday, September 9 at 12 p.m.
3. Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport – Thursday, September 12 at 6 p.m.
4. Virtual – Tuesday, September 17 at 6 p.m.
5. The Hotel Burbank – Wednesday, September 25 at 6 p.m.
Meeting
Overview
16 Community Meetings
Community meeting structure:
1. Staff presentation on existing state-mandated regulations and initiatives already taken by the Burbank City Council to strengthen tenant protections within the City
2.Question & answers session focused on the issue of a
potential local rent cap in Burbank. Q&A averaged 50
minutes in length for each meeting.
3.Public input session to solicit feedback from community members. In-person meetings included a series of three
information stations to provide attendees with additional information and opportunities to ask questions.
Meeting
Structure
17 18
19 20
21 22
Community Meetings
241By the
Numbers
239
attendees
at in-person
meetings
virtual
participants
4+
hours of
Q&A
23 24
Community Meeting #1 – Joslyn Center
25 Community Meeting #3 – Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport 26 Community Meeting #5 – Hotel Burbank
Public Input
Throughout the outreach and community
meeting process, our goal was to provide
clear, accurate, and unbiased information
so that residents and landlords could give
the City feedback on a potential local rent
cap in Burbank.
Purpose
& Goals
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 27 Public Input
A robust effort to receive public input from
residents and landlords through multiple
means, including community meetings and an
online feedback platform.
1. Three in-person community meetings
2. Two virtual community meetings
3. Online feedback platform (available through September 2024) All feedback options asked specific questions on the topic of a potential local rent cap in Burbank and had an open comment area/prompt for participants to provide additional feedback.
Input
Options
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 28 Public Input
180By the
Numbers
99 comment cards
from in-person
meetings
responses to
virtual meeting
questionnaire
739
responses to online
feedback platform
(duplicates from same IP address removed)
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 29 Public Input
Do you live
in Burbank?
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 30 Public Input
Which zip
code do you
live in?
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 31 Public Input
What’s your
living status
in Burbank
Renter
Landlord &
Homeowner
Landlord
Homeowner
Renter & Landlord (15)
OTHER:
Live rent-free with family (3)
Renter, Landlord, Homeowner (3)
Renter & Homeowner (1)
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 32 Public Input
A ceiling on annual
residential rent
increases for
continuing tenants at
5% plus the increase
in Consumer Price
Index, up to a
maximum of 10%.
The rent increase cap
is currently 8.9%.
Support
Oppose
No Opinion
What aspects of the
current state law, AB
1482, do you support?
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 33 Public Input
Exemptions for
single-family homes
and condominiums
unless they are
owned by a
corporation from the
cap on annual
residential rent
increases for
continuing tenants.
Support
Oppose
No OpinionWhat aspects of the
current state law, AB
1482, do you support?
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 34 Public Input
Exemptions for newly
constructed rental
buildings until they
are 15 years old from
the cap on annual
residential rent
increases for
continuing tenants.
What aspects of the
current state law, AB
1482, do you support?
Support
Oppose No Opinion
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 35 Public Input
Would you support or oppose the City
implementing a monthly fee of
approximately $20 per residential rental unit
to be paid by rental property owner to offset
the cost of implementing an annual local
rent cap program?
Strongly Support
Oppose
Somewhat Support
Somewhat Oppose
No Opinion
Overall
Support
49%
Overall
Oppose
47%
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank.
If the City's general fund would need to pay
approximately $1.8 million in start-up costs,
in addition to any monthly fees charged,
would that change your answer to the
previous question? If so, what would your
new opinion be?
Strongly Support
Oppose
Somewhat Support
Somewhat Oppose
No Opinion
No Change
36 Public Input
Strongly Support
Oppose
Do you support
capping annual rent
increases at no more
than the current
Consumer Price Index
(CPI)?
Somewhat Support
Somewhat Oppose
No Opinion
Overall
Support
57%
Overall
Oppose
42%
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 37 Public Input
Strongly Support
Oppose
Do you support
capping annual rent
increases at no more
than at 75% of the
current Consumer
Price Index (CPI)?
Somewhat Support
Somewhat Oppose
No Opinion
Overall
Support
53%
Overall
Oppose
44%
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 38 Public Input
Strongly Support
Oppose
Do you support allowing
rent to be capped at the
state-mandated rate
(currently 8.9), however, if
the annual rent increase
exceeds an established
percentage such as 7%,
then a property owner
must provide three
months’ rent in relocation
assistance for tenants who
move out?
Somewhat Support
Somewhat Oppose
No Opinion
Overall
Support
46%
Overall
Oppose
50%
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 39 Public Input
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
8%
9%
10%
What do you believe
is an ideal annual
rent increase
percentage on a
residential rental
property in
Burbank?
No rent cap
8.9% - Current statewide
level under AB 1482
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 40 Public Input
Strongly Support
Oppose
Do you support?
IDEA #1: Continue to
follow the state-
mandated rent cap,
which is 5% plus
Consumer Price Index
(CPI), up to a
maximum of 10%.
Somewhat Support
Somewhat Oppose
No Opinion
Overall
Support
43%
Overall
Oppose
52%
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 41 Public Input
Strongly Support
Oppose
Do you support?
IDEA #2: Implement a
"hard" local rent cap
that is more restrictive
than the state-
mandated rent cap.
Somewhat Support
Somewhat Oppose
No Opinion
Overall
Support
55%
Overall
Oppose
44%
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 42 Public Input
Strongly Support
Oppose
Do you support?
IDEA #3: Implement a
“soft” rent cap that
would establish a rent
increase limit as a
trigger for relocation
assistance.
Somewhat Support
Somewhat Oppose
No Opinion
Overall
Support
42%
Overall
Oppose
54%
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 43 Public Input (Tenant Only)
Less than 6 months
6 to 12 months
1 to 2 years
3 to 4 years
5 to 10 years
11 to 19 years
20 or more years
How long have
you been renting
at your present
home in Burbank?
23 15
48 86
123
73 27
Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 44 Public Input (Tenant Only)
Apartment
Single-family house
Townhome
Something else
ADU or guest house
Condominium
What type of
rental unit do you
currently rent?
301
49 19
13 11
6 Duplex or triplex
Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 45 Public Input (Tenant Only)
1 to 4
5 to 10
11 to 20
21 to 50
50 to 100
More than 100
How many rental
units (individual
dwellings) are in
your building or
complex. Your
best guess is fine.
130
99 66
66 13
25 Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 46 Public Input (Tenant Only)
How old is the
building or
residence where
you live? Your best
guess is fine.
41 3
139
16 years
or old
Less than 5
years old
3%
92%
5 to 10
years old
5%
10 20
Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 47 Public Input (Tenant Only)
In the last 10
years, have you
rented in Burbank
anywhere other
than your current
residence?
41 3
139No
Yes
31%
69%
Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 48 Public Input (Tenant Only)
Have you moved
out of a previous
Burbank rental
residence because
of a rent increase,
for another reason,
or both?
139
I have not moved out of a
Burbank rental residence
Both
Another reason
Rent increase
213
25 22
44 89
53 Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 49 Public Input (Tenant Only)
In the last year or
when your lease
last came up for
renewal at your
current residence,
was your rent
increased,
decreased, or kept
the same?
139
Increased
Decreased
Stayed the same
Have not lived at
residence long enough
314
60 24
Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 50 Public Input (Tenant Only)
$500 or less
$501 to $1,000
$1,000 to $1,500
$1,501 to $2,000
$2,001 to $2,500
$2,501 to $3,000
$3,001 to $3,500
$3,501 to $4,000
$4,001 to $4,500
$4,501 to $5,000
Please select the
total cost to rent
your residence
per month. If you
share rent with
others, please
provide your best
guess as to the
total rental cost
per month.
192
10 22
30 20
12 8
7 99
114
75 Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 51 Public Input (Landlord Only)
Single-family home
ADU or guest
house
Which of the
following types of
residential rental
properties do you
own in Burbank?
Apartment building
with 4 or less units
Apartment building
with 5 or more units
Townhome or
condominium
80 64
47 49
3 3
33 Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 52 Public Input (Landlord Only)
Have you had any
residential tenants
who did not pay
their full rent at any
point in the last 12
months?
41 3
139No
Yes
23%
77%
Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 53 Public Input (Landlord Only)
How would a local
rent cap lower than
the current state
mandated annual
rent cap impact
your ability to pay
expenses?
41 3
139
Greatly impact
No Opinion
No impact
Somewhat impact
122
25 22
10 Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 54 Public Input (Landlord Only)
Considering only
continuing tenants
- not new leases -
in the last 12
months, did you
increase, decrease,
or keep the same
rent on your
continuing tenants?
139
Stayed the same
Decreased
Increased
No continuing tenants
30 10
24 14
Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 55 Public Input (Landlord Only)
How likely are you to
sell your residential
rental properties in
Burbank or leave the
market if the City of
Burbank enacts a
lower cap on annual
residential rent
increases for
continuing tenants?
35 Very likely
Not too likely
Somewhat likely
Not likely at all
64 56
25 10
Overall
Likely
67%
Overall
Not Likely
33%
Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 56 Public Input (Landlord Only)
How likely are you to
convert your unit or
units to condominiums
if the City of Burbank
enacts a lower cap on
annual residential rent
increases for
continuing tenants?
99 Very likely
Not too likely
Somewhat likely
Not likely at all
15 40
26 10
Overall
Likely
22%
Overall
Not Likely
77%
Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 57 Public Input (Landlord Only)
How likely are you to
invest less in your
property as a whole
(landscaping,
retrofitting, security,
etc.) if the City of
Burbank enacts a
lower cap on annual
residential rent
increases for
continuing tenants?
10 Very likely
Not too likely
Somewhat likely
Not likely at all
103
34 33
10 Overall
Likely
76%
Overall
Not Likely
24%
Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 58 Public Input (Landlord Only)
How likely are you to
invest less in individual
unit improvements if
the City of Burbank
enacts a lower cap on
annual residential rent
increases for
continuing tenants?
11 Very likely
Not too likely
Somewhat likely
Not likely at all
111
29 29
10 Overall
Likely
78%
Overall
Not Likely
22%
Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 59 Public Input (Landlord Only)
How likely are you to
move into your rental
unit or have family
members do so if the
City of Burbank enacts
a lower cap on annual
residential rent
increases for
continuing tenants?
58 Very likely
Not too likely
Somewhat likely
Not likely at all
43 41
46 10
Overall
Likely
45%
Overall
Not Likely
56%
Data from online feedback platform only
* Responses are from self-selected participants and the results are not generalizable to the population in Burbank. 60 Public Input
In addition to the questions participants
answered, we provided an open comment
area/prompt for participants to provide
additional feedback. The following slides
provide key points based on common
concerns and feedback received from
tenants, landlords, and homeowners.
Additional
Comments
61 Public Input
• Proposed Tenant Protection
Measures/Ordinance
• Public Sentiment on
Affordability
• Rent Increases Outpacing
Wages
• Suggestions for Alternative
Solutions
• Impact of Rent Cap on
Tenant/Community Stability
Summary of
Open-Ended
Comments
• Protections for Landlords
• Rising Cost of Ownership
• Economic Impact on Housing
Supply
• Opposition to Further Rent
Control
• Impact on Small Landlords
Tenant-Focused Summary Landlord-Focused Summary
62 Public Input
A complete list of comments received during
this study will be available tomorrow
morning on our project website:
www.BurbankRentCapStudy.com
Additional
Comments
63 Thank You
We appreciate the opportunity to partner with the City on this important program and hope the community feedback gained will help the Council in any future decision-making process.