Office of the City Manager
Agenda Item #6
Preparing an Ordinance to Establish a
Rent Stabilization Department
Presented by:
Rebecca Takahashi
Acting Assistant to the City Manager
Office of the City Manager
Background
• The Pasadena Rental Housing Board
(“Board”) is the Charter-created
governmental body within the City that is
generally responsible for the enforcement
and implementation of City Charter Article
XVIII (“Charter Amendment”).
> The Charter Amendment describes the Board as
an integral part of the government of the City but
exercises its powers and duties independent from
the City Council, City Manager, and City Attorney,
unless the Board requests their assistance.
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Background
• The Charter Amendment accords the Board
certain enumerated powers and duties in the
administration and enforcement of its
provisions, including the power to establish a
budget and set a rental housing fee.
• The Board formally requested that a City
Department be created to support it and to
administer the rent stabilization provisions of
the Charter Amendment in the manner set
forth in the Term Sheet attached to the
Agenda Report.
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Terms of Integration
• On October 13, 2023, representatives from
the Board and City staff met to discuss, and
agree in concept, with the terms to integrate
the Board as a City department consistent
with the City Charter.
• At its meeting on October 25, 2023, the Board
adopted by Resolution the terms of the
integration as presented in this report as
Attachment B.
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Recommendations
• Find that the action proposed herein is
exempt from the California Environmental
Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guidelines
Sections 15061(b)(3), the “common sense”
exemption; and
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Recommendations
• Pursuant to the request of the Board, direct
the City Attorney to prepare and return within
60 days with an ordinance amending Title 2
of the Pasadena Municipal Code to create a
new Chapter establishing the Rent
Stabilization Department as a City
Department headed by a City Manager
appointee, in order to support the Pasadena
Rental Housing Board and to carry out their
functions set forth in the City Charter.
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Next Steps
• The City Council will be asked at a later date
to review and adopt the budget and staffing
plan for the Department.
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