Agenda Report
DATE: May 9, 2022
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: CITY CLERK
SUBJECT: CERTIFICATION OF SUFFICIENCY OF A CHARTER AMENDMENT
INITIATIVE PETITION TO IMPOSE RENT CONTROL, CREATE A
RENTAL HOUSING BOARD, AND ESTABLISH JUST CAUSE
EVICTION CRITERIA IN PASADENA
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council:
(1) Find that the proposed actions are exempt from review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") and in accordance with State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 (b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption);
(2) Receive and accept the certification (Attachment A) of the sufficiency of a Charter Amendment Initiative Petition to Impose Rent Control, Create a Rental Housing Board, and Establish Just Cause Eviction Criteria in Pasadena, as confirmed by the examination and verification of signatures by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's Office;
(3) If agreed, direct City staff to prepare a report on the impacts of the proposed initiative measure for presentation at the July 11 , 2022 City Council meeting, or such other date as determined; and
(4) Pursuant to California Elections Code (EC) Section 9255, direct staff to prepare the necessary resolutions to call an election to submit the Charter Amendment Measure to the voters at the November 8, 2022 General Municipal Election.
BACKGROUND:
On September 29, 2021, proponents submitted a Notice of Intention to circulate an initiative petition measure to the City Clerk's Office seeking a Charter Amendment to Impose Rent Control, Create a Rental Housing Board, and Establish Just Cause Eviction Criteria in Pasadena. On March 28, 2022, the proponents submitted approximately 20,500 signatures in support of the initiative petition. Having met the 180-day filing requirement and following a prima facie review of signatures submitted, the City Clerk's Office sent the petition to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RRCC) for examination and full verification of all signatures submitted to determine the sufficiency of the petition.
EC Section 9114 states, "the elections official shall certify the results of the examination to the [City Council] at the next regular meeting .... " MEETING OF 05/09/2022 AGENDA ITEM NO. -~1~6~--
Certification of Initiative Petition
May 9, 2022
EC Section 9255(c)(1) states, "The following city ... charter proposals shall be submitted to the voters at an established statewide general, statewide primary, or regularly scheduled municipal election ... occurring not less than 88 days after the date of the order of election:
(1) An amendment or repeal of a city charter proposed by a petition signed by 15 percent of the registered voters of the city."
The official number of the registered voters of the City of Pasadena based on the latest report to the Secretary of State is 90,369 (April 8, 2022). Therefore, the minimum number of signatures needed to qualify the initiative petition at the required 15% threshold is 13,555 signatures. On April 28, 2022, the LA County Registrar reported that County staff reviewed 20,564 submitted petition signatures and validated 15,101 to be the signatures of registered voters in the City of Pasadena. This amount exceeds the minimum 15% threshold required for the initiative petition to be deemed sufficient.
In terms of the timing for submitting this Charter Amendment measure to the voters, the next regular municipal election "occurring not less than 88 days after the date of the order of the election" (August 12, 2022) will be the November 8, 2022 Statewide General Election. Staff will ensure that the appropriate resolutions calling the election for this Charter Amendment measure will be submitted to the City Council for action prior to the August 12, 2022 deadline.
In the interim, the City Council can request information on the impacts of this proposed Charter Amendment measure. The report on the impacts could look at some of the following issues:
(1) Its fiscal impact.
(2) Its effect on the internal consistency of the city's general and specific plans, including the housing element.
(3) Its impact on the availability and location of housing, and the ability of the city to meet its regional housing needs.
(4) Its impact on funding for infrastructure of all types. (5) Any other matters the City Council requests to be in the report.
Given the City Council's upcoming meeting schedule, and the schedule of business during that time, the impact report might be presented as soon as the July 11, 2022 City Council meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT:
It is anticipated that the cost for signature verification services provided by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk will be approximately $10,000. The exact amount will be billed by the County, with the City Clerk's Office able to utilize funds available in the FY 2022 Election Budget, Account No. 10113002.
Certification of Initiative Petition
May 9, 2022
In addition, the City will incur additional election related expenses to add this measure to the November 8, 2022 ballot, including the printing of ballot language, arguments, and the impartial analysis in the voter guide. The City Clerk's Office will provide an updated election cost estimate to the City Council as part of the agenda report and resolutions calling the November 8, 2022 General Municipal Election.
Respectfully submitted,
City Clerk
Attachment A - Certification of the Sufficiency of the Initiative Petition Attachment B - City Attorney's Ballot Title and Summary Attachment C - Proposed Initiative Charter Amendment