City of San Pablo
Rent Registry Program & Draft Ordinance
Economic Development, Housing & Project Management Standing Committee January 29, 2024
• On May 1, 2023, the City Council approved Resolution 2023-058 adopting the FY 2023-25 City of San Pablo City Council Priority Workplan, which included:
#308: Dedicate resources to create a new rental registry (w/ fees to offset city costs) for available San Pablo Housing Opportunities. • On September 18, 2023, the City Council adopted Resolution 2023-138 approving the consulting services agreement with Hinderliter de Llamas & Associates (HdL) for Rental Registry Program implementation and administration services. • HdL’sRental Registry Program’s general scope of services includes:
• Rental property registration database management
• Renewal/update processing
• New account processing
• Payment posting/processing
• Rental support center
• On-line filing & payment processing
Background
Rent Registry Program Benefits
1. Rent registries help track CA building code requirements/standards and ensure safe and quality housing for tenants (i.e. City of San Pablo Residential Health & Safety Program)
2. Cities can use the data to identify future housing policy or market trends and rental housing supply needs.
3. Rent Registries help establish a comprehensive source of data on rental housing assets City-wide.
4. Rental Registries also enhance landlord and tenant relationships, and promote access to safe and habitable housing opportunities for City residents
5. Other benefits of rental registries include:
• Inform and influence future housing and community development policies • Identify households at risk of displacement (i.e. rent hikes or evictions) • Identify and address substandard housing and community health and safety concerns
• Provide a better, prospective rental acquisition landscape in a community • The Rent Registry Ordinance will require property owners register rental information regarding residential rental properties with the City.
• Landlords will be required to annually register every rental unit that is subject to the ordinance within 30 days of receipt of notice from the City that registration is required. Landlords can submit registration forms via website, email, mail or fax.
• With registration and renewals, rental unit information will be collected which includes: rental property information, Landlord information, rental unit tenancy changes, and other information deemed necessary.
Rental Registry Program & Draft Ordinance
Rental Registry Program & Draft Ordinance Cont.
• The registration fees collected will provide for a self-sustaining program.
• Landlords will pay $20 per account and $7 per unit. Fees are increased annually with reference to the percent change in the Consumer Price Index.
• Landlords must file the renewal registration within 30 days after expiration in order to avoid penalties.
• The ordinance will require all rental units to register except:
1. A room or any other portion of a dwelling that is occupied by the Landlord or a member of the Landlord’s immediate family.
2. An on-site manager’s unit.
3. Housing accommodations in hotels, motels, group housing, supportive housing and transitional housing.
• The ordinance includes the creation of the Rent Registry database, which will help generate reports on rental housing assets.
1. The City will not disclose Rent Registry Information for Rental Units in a manner that identifies the building in which they are located or the Rent for any individual Rental Unit.
2. Rent Registry Information shall not include identifying information regarding an individual Tenant.
• If a Landlord fails to register or pay all or any portion of the rent registry fees, the City may charge a penalty fee of $100 in addition to outstanding registration fees and any costs incurred in collecting the outstanding fee(s). • The ordinance will have its first reading at the February 20, 2024 City Council meeting.
Rental Registry Program & Draft Ordinance Cont.
Example Rent Registry Portal
Questions?