Title
Final Passage of Ordinance Amending the Alameda Municipal Code by Adding Article XIV to Chapter VI Concerning the Review of Rent Increases. (Community Development 481005)
Body
CITY OF ALAMEDA ORDINANCE NO._______
New Series
ADDING ARTICLE XIV TO CHAPTER VI OF THE ALAMEDA MUNICIPAL CODE CONCERNING THE REVIEW OF RENT INCREASES
WHEREAS, there is a strong demand for rental housing in the City of Alameda which may result in a shortage of rental housing; and
WHEREAS, such shortage may result in an imbalance of bargaining power between housing providers and tenants; and
WHEREAS, when a housing provider has informed a tenant about a rent increase which the tenant asserts is and/or poses an unreasonable financial hardship on the tenant and when the tenant and his/her housing provider have been unable to work out a satisfactory arrangement concerning the rent increase, the City has had in place for a number of years a committee of residents representing housing providers and tenants that provides a process in a neutral forum for a tenant to voice a concern about the rent increase and for a housing provider to respond, and through which process the committee may make a non-binding recommendation to the housing provider and the tenant concerning the rent increase; and
WHEREAS, the availability of this process may not be well known in the tenant community; and
WHEREAS, this process provides a fair and reliable process to resolve disputes concerning rent increases; and
WHEREAS, in order for the process to be effective, it is essential not only that a housing provider provide written notice of this process to the tenant (which currently is not required) but also that the housing provider and the tenant both participate in the process; and
WHEREAS, it is important that a tenant be protected from retaliation for utilizing this process; and
WHEREAS, it is important to monitor and improve on a periodic basis the pr...
Click here for full text