Alameda Municipal Code § 2-23 Rent Review Advisory Committee

There is hereby created a committee which shall be known as the Rent Review Advisory Committee ("Committee") whose purpose is to review requests from tenants concerning certain rent increases and make recommendations to the tenants and their housing providers concerning such increases.

(Ord. No. 3132 N.S., § 1, 9-1-2015)

a. The Committee shall consist of five (5) members, all of whom shall at the time of their appointment and continuously during their incumbency be residents of the City. At the time of their appointment, two (2) of the members shall be tenants in the City, two (2) of the members shall be housing providers as that term is defined in subsection 2-57.2(h) of this Code and one (1) member shall be a residential property owner but not a housing provider.

b. Upon nomination of the Mayor, the City Council shall appoint such members as are necessary to maintain full membership on the Committee, with terms for all members to begin on July 1 and, as to two (2) members, continuing for two (2) years thereafter until the successor of such member is qualified and appointed and, as to three (3) members, continuing for four (4) years thereafter until the successor of such member is qualified and appointed.

c. No person shall be eligible to serve more than two (2) consecutive terms. The initial two (2) year term as to two (2) members referenced in paragraph b above, one (1) of whom shall be a housing provider and one (1) of whom shall be a tenant, shall be deemed one (1) term. Thereafter, any appointment the term of which is two (2) years or less shall not be deemed one (1) term.

d. A vote of a majority of the Council may remove a member from the Committee.

e. A vacancy shall occur if a member is no longer a resident of the City, if the member's status as a tenant, housing provider or residential property owner but not a housing provider changes, the member resigns or the Council removes the member. The vacancy shall be filled as provided in paragraph b and the person appointed shall serve the unexpired term of office.

(Ord. No. 3132 N.S., § 1, 9-1-2015)

a. The Committee shall meet as necessary to perform its duties outlined in subsection 2-23.4 but in no case less than monthly if a hearing has been scheduled. The Committee has the power to establish rules for its proceedings. A member's failure to attend seventy-five (75%) percent of the meetings in a twelve (12) month period shall be grounds for removal by the City Council.

b. The Committee shall select from its membership a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson who shall be selected in July of each year and serve a one (1) year term. No member may serve as Chair more than two (2) consecutive terms.

c. To take any action or to make a Committee recommendation to the housing provider and tenant (which recommendation is advisory only) shall require three (3) votes.

(Ord. No. 3132 N.S., § 1, 9-1-2015)

It shall be the duty of the Committee to hold hearings in response to a request for a rent increase review. The Committee will afford the parties involved in the request the opportunity to explain their respective positions. The Committee as a whole and individual members of the Committee shall not act as an advocate of either the Landlord or the tenant. As to its review of a rent increase, the provisions of Section 6-58.85 of this Code shall apply.

(Ord. No. 3132 N.S., § 1, 9-1-2015; Ord. No. 3148 N.S., § 2, 3-1-2016)