Page 44 - AAGLA-MAY 2022

Local Advocacy Update
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owner and renter used to negotiate the terms of the lease.
The” just cause” eviction requirements ordinance is applicable to renters who have continuously and lawfully occupied the unit for 30 days, limits “at-fault” and “no-fault” evictions to those enumerated in the ordinance, requires the payment of relocation fees for no-fault tenancy terminations of $5,000 or two-months’ rent, whichever is greater (to be paid to the renter within 15 calendar days of service of the tenancy termination notice). The ordinance also contains notice and posting requirements and penalties for violations. Owners are required to provide existing renters with written notice within 30 days of the effective date of the ordinance of the ordinance provisions as an addendum to the lease or rental agreement in English and in the language used in the lease.
Both ordinances are set to expire on December 31, 2030. The costs of both programs, initially estimated by City Staff to be $1.2 million per year would be borne entirely by the City’s rental housing providers. The City will establish the related fees through separate ordinances at a yet to be determined date.
Throughout the City’s deliberations, the Association maintained strong opposition to any form of rent control or rent regulations, expressing that rent control will not solve the City’s housing affordability gap, that rent control will decrease the quality and quality of rental housing in the City and will discourage development of new rental units.
Pasadena Plans to End City’s Residential Eviction Moratorium on June 30, 2022
At the April 11th City Council meeting, the Council voted 6-1 with Councilmember Rivas opposing, to approve City Staff’s recommendations and return to the City Council with an ordinance within 30 days that would end the residential eviction moratorium on June 30, 2022. Mayor Gordo, indicating that he is a rental housing provider
in Pasadena, recused himself from the discussion and related vote.
Since March 2022, the City of Pasadena has had an eviction moratorium in place applicable to both residential and commercial rental property. The residential eviction moratorium prohibits evictions based on non-payment of rent where a renter is unable to pay due to financial impacts of COVID-19 and provides supporting documentation and no-fault evictions unless necessary for health and safety reasons. Renters have six months from the expiration of the moratorium to repay back rent owed. Currently, the ordinance’s expiration is tied to the expiration of the City’s local emergency, a date unknown.
During Council deliberations, the City Council discussed the COVID-19 financial impacts to both City renters and rental housing providers and looked to strike a balance in helping renters while recognizing that the City’s smaller “mom and pop” housing providers cannot continue to shoulder the financial burden alone, and the negative consequences to the community that would result if these small owners sold their buildings. City Staff also highlighted the plan to assist City renters after the residential eviction moratorium ends, which will include $300,000 for homelessness prevention, an additional allocation of $150,000 for Housing Rights Center services, and $3 million for rental assistance to low-income residents covering both back rent and up to two years of temporary rental assistance going forward.
The Association will continue to monitor this issue and strongly advocate for the adoption of the ordinance when it is brought to the City Council for a vote.
Pasadena Takes First Steps in Requiring Electrification of Buildings
At the April 4, 2022, meeting, the City Council approved staff recommendations for the drafting of an ordinance
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