you you you We're all part that would like to have access to the simultaneous inter-porting and progress. For all participants that would like to have access to the simultaneous interpretation module in English, if you are using a PC, click the globe icon that is found on the lower part of the screen. If you are using a mobile phone or a tablet, click the more option. The location of the more option is found in different parts of the screen based on the brand of your device. Select the interpretation option, choose the language that you would like to hear, and click Done to activate the interpretation feature. Please notice that participants that do not select a language will not be able to hear the voice of the interpreter. Para los que les sean tener acceso al módulo... Para los que desean tener acceso al módulo de interpretación simultánea al español, si está utilizando una PC haga clic en el icono del globo que se encuentra en la parte inferior de la pantalla. If you click on the icon of the globe that is located in the lower part of the screen, if you are using a mobile phone or tablet, click on the option more, the location of the option more is located in different parts of the screen, according to the option of interpretation. The language that I would like to hear and click on the list to activate the interpretation function. Good evening. I want to confirm that everybody can hear what they need to hear. Translations working for everyone. Board member Ruby, are you good? Awesome. Okay, I'd like to call the meeting to order and we can do a roll call, please. What's your name? Chair Kate Vinton. Present. Board Member Gillian Sierra. Present. Board Member Carl Larson. Present. Board Member Laura Rubio. Present. Board Member Francisco Guzman. Present. Board Member Gouque Viquil is absent. Board Member of an Assessment. Present. And Board Member Alternate Crystal Montess. Present. Because Board Member, Viquil is not present. Board Member Montess is sitting in her seat tonight. Thankiel is not present. Board Member Montes is sitting in her seat tonight. Thank you for being present. I want to approve the agenda, but before we do, I wanted to do a little housekeeping with the permission of the staff and staff attorney. A couple logistics. I've noticed as we've had the last several meetings, a couple things have happened. One is sometimes it's hard for us all to get to say what we want to say all to get to say what we want to say we want to say it. So I'm hoping you can help me out and help us out. If you want to speak, make sure the person before obviously is done speaking, put your microphone on and say through the chair. So then I know because I can't always see you all. So sometimes people raise your hand, sometimes people start talking. It's just hard to negotiate. So I think just in terms of rules of order, that would be super helpful. I think the other thing that's important is because we're gathered as a board, we shouldn't have side conversations with each other when we're up here because we're gathered as a board. So I would just ask you to, I think it's just hard sometimes when we're talking about other stuff. And then finally, I know there's lots of really important things we're trying to do. So I'm going to ask that as we do those important things, we're professional and respectful to each other, to the staff, to the public. I know you all are, I've seen that, but I think if there's a time where it feels like that isn't happening, it's sort of my unpleasant job as chair to sort of move the direction of the conversation or to interrupt. I don't want to do that. So if I could avoid that, I'd appreciate it. But I just wanted to mention it since it feels important. Awesome. So now I want to move on to the approval of the agenda. No, I don't. I want to move on to the approval of the minutes from the last board meeting. Let's do that first, right? Did I get it right or no, I was right the first time. Okay, approval of the agenda. Through the chair, one housekeeping for everyone as we do have the interpretation going on, we would just ask that we remind ourselves to speak slowly enough that the interpreter can interpret those that are listening in and using the service. Thank you for that reminder. I'd like to move towards the approval of the agenda and the approval of the consent calendar. Would anybody like to pull anything off the consent calendar for discussion? Through the chair. So we just a quick point of order will approve the agenda first, do roll call, and then go to the other items, and anybody can pull an item from there. So we should switch. Is it possible to switch the order of these on the agenda? Since that's, I always get tripped up on that one, not possible. Okay, cool. It's all good. I'll start to remember. I move that we approved the agenda. The chair, I seconded. Chair Katie Fenton. Yes. Board Member Sierra. Yes. Board Member Larson. Yes. Board Member Rubio. Yes. Board Member Guzman. Yes. Board Member Smith. Yes. And Board Member Montess. Yes. Motion carries. We don't need to go back and do the roll call since I did it at order We didn't go out of order. We did it got it just pretty thought I missed her all right So the approval of the consent calendar would anybody on the board like to pull any of the items from the consent calendar Through the chair I would like to pull item 3.1 Great, okay item 3.1. Great. Okay. Should we discuss item 3, you say 3.1, I'm sorry. Okay. Discuss that now or after staff or rural reports. We would go through it now. And then if any other board member or yourself wanted to pull the annual registration fees, that can be pulled as well to discuss before moving on to staff or reports through the chair. I'd like to pull 3.2 and 3.3. Excellent. Well then let's fill them all and discuss them. So, word member Larsen you want to discuss 3.1? Let's start with you. Yes. I would love to approve the minutes but there are some there's an error in it on call to order and roll call, just happens that I'm listed as absent and went further down. It's so pretty clear I was here. So I imagine that mine could postpone this and have it corrected and then we can approve it next time. Thank you for catching that error. We can definitely make the adjustment and recidimate the minutes. I have point of order. Do we need to actually have a motion of postponing it? Okay. Okay. Okay. So do we actually need to put in a motion to postpone this item if we want to bring it back next meeting because the minutes will not be the incorrect So we would do a motion to postpone the approval the minutes until the next meeting Okay, so through the chair I then move that we postpone the approval of 3.1 to the next meeting. Through the chair, just to confirm, let's make sure there's nothing else that anybody else catches before we finalize. So that staff gather everything just in case. Any other questions on the minutes? All right, Board Member Larson, would you make that motion again, please? So sorry, I was a bit faster. So I move that we postpone the approval of the minutes 3.1 to the next meeting of the rent stabilization board. I had through the chair. I had a quick question. Sorry, let me go through the process of approving it. I was absent the last meeting. So just reading this over and seeing that there are three public comments. I don't know if it's possible, but it would be really helpful for the folks who did an attend to know what the public comment was. I don't know if that's sort of, what we've, I don't think it's what we've done in the past, but I think just a little bit more detail would be really helpful for me since I've been in the 10 last meeting. Through the chair. So this was kind of addressed at last meeting that staff are aligning with Council's outline and template for the meeting minutes. And so this isn't that that would be going beyond what Council does, but we are happy to send you the link of where last minute or the last meeting was. That's why we also put the timestamps in there so that you can refer back to those sections of the public comments. Thank you. I think we have a motion to postpone the approval of these minutes in the next meeting. I think we just need a second. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. Board member Francisco's man. Yes. Board member Gul Rook Fakil. Oh, absent. Board member of an assessment. Yes. And board member Crystal Montes. Yes. Thank you. Motion carries. Great. Board member Smith, you wanted to pull 3.2 and 3.3. What can we start with your comments? Thank you. On page nine and under the first chart, monthly landlord and tenant petitions, there are 31 petitions for a habitability and maintenance. And I was just wondering what is a process of followup for those 31 petitions? Through the chair, is this a question of like what the next step would be for staff, like the steps for the petition process? Or is this when the board might get more information about them? I think both would be great. So I'll touch on it in my or reports. That was one thing that it's going to bring up. So, but the next steps are staff have received 31 petitions. And I can't really state who or addresses or give really any details other than what's in the program in numbers as there is potential that if these petitions slowed down because I caught myself speaking way too fast If these petitions get appealed after their internal hearing with the hearing examiner they could appear before the board So we want to ensure that that is There would be no reason for the board to have a sway in which motion that they would vote through the chair. Is he don't. And that's why I caught myself. The second item as far as when we would be able to give more information is if once they're closed and if we pass the appeal section, then we could let you know that they've reached the appeal or received their hearings and whether or not it will go to appeal at least that much. It's after that that we can tell you whether or not it's going to be appealed to the board and you'll start seeing it on the agenda's or you know this is going to be coming. Depending on if all of them come to the board that may end up becoming a lot of special meetings or if it's heard at one time so we'll keep you informed if that's going to happen. But as of right now we just received them and so we are doing any possible necessary housekeeping items to review, make sure they're fully complete. If any translational services may be needed, then we'll address that if necessary. And then we will move towards next steps would be doing a notice of Titian, which then goes to the landlord. It gives the landlord 20 days to respond. Whether or not they agree with the petition or they're going to contest it and whether or not it will go to the hearing examiners for review. Through the chair. Just having done this in the past, it's a very, it could be a lengthy process because each side has legal timelines, sort of a little bit like a tennis game, a little bit that way, and so we might not see these. Also, they may settle. I am hopeful that not all 31 that they get settled, that people get a resolution. I don't think people want to do a rental sort of petition. They want their apartments fixed. I am hopeful that they may come that way. And also that we stay as board members clear of any knowledge of any details or if anything related to those cases so that they could have their due process. Through the chair. I also had a question about kind of like to your point, I'm born member, goes men like, is it like first come first serve basis? Or is there like the most critical ones get addressed first in the sense that, for example, I know in the past, we've had a public comment about an apartment complex that was having issues with like the boiler or something like that. And that sense like, or like if it's a water issue, are those tenants expected to just wait till it's kind of addressed or like what has done meanwhile to let them know that this is like being handled. Thank you. So through the chair, generally if we can explain the petition process to a tenant, but it is also up to the tenant to fill out the paperwork and do a petition process that does not mean in the meantime, we're not reaching out to the landlord, raising the concerns, you're talking with COVID enforcement or talking to the county if it's a health and safety issue. We still as staff do our due diligence on our side. Now, whether the tenant wants to raise the concern even further and do the petition process, that is their prerogative. We're always here to help staff fill out the petition or help tenants fill out the petition and go through the petition process. It is not necessarily done on and like we don't, we don't prioritize which earns are worse or better. We go per the timeline and the rules and regulations and the ordinance. So as soon as we get a petition, we review for completeness, make sure everything's there. And then we'll move on to getting the notice out so that the timeline is going for the 20 days because that has to happen. The petition should not stop the landlord from working to rectify the issue. The petition is simply also to ensure that if there is any rent due back to the tenant because of the lack of service or the habitability issues that they're getting that reimbursement or refund in their rent for the lack of service. So at any point in the process they could come back and go, hey, we mediated. I want to cancel my petition or hey, I want to continue going through the petition. The landlord can agree with the petition that's presented to them and be like, yes, we're working to resolve it. We'll get the decision done anyways and just move forward. They can choose to cancel it or they can choose to contest it, which will then lead to us scheduling the hearing with the hearing examiner. And so once that happens, the hearing will happen. There are times where we go and conduct inspections with the hearing examiner because they can request that. And then we have the hearing. Hearing examiner takes all the information. It's like a little mini legal, legal courtroom. And then they'll draft their decision and send the decision back and they'll do that. Once the decision is issued, there is 15 days to appeal. Once the appeal timeline has ended or once the decision has come, then there's 30 days for that reimbursement if there are funds that need to be given back to the tenant for the landlord to give back to the tenant. So the hope is that it's a relatively quick process, but if there are scheduling constraints or the other item is whether this will be a everybody's in one hearing because that's how they want it seen, or if it's going to be individual hearings for each petition. So that is still to be decided because we are still reviewing of what is going to be the best course of action for these petitions. Thank you. To the Chair. I listen now, I listen now, the attendance they access for coming here and you guys can bring support to field application. So we are always asked to able to assist tenants, but we have also had outside local organizations that have also been willing to help the tenants with filling out petitions. So we are here to help, but there are other places that are also able to help because it is a long process. And so we wanna ensure that they're also getting the assistance that they're not just waiting to schedule time with us, but that they're, if another agency can assist right away, that they get that assistance right away. Through the chair. Thank you. If you take a look at the petition form, it's very lengthy in terms of the documentation that it asks for you to provide. So a lot of times when I'm speaking with tenants and I offer that option of filing a petition, We always, I always suggest if you want me to print it out, I can print it out and have it to you if you don't have access to a computer. But if you look at the petition itself, it really takes some time for them to review the situation and sometimes it asks for dates and photos and so it takes some time for them. It's not something they can just fill out by memory. They have to go back and look through their documents and their lease agreement if they have photos, if they have emails that they sent to Woodland Park, it's something that takes a lot of time. And so, but yeah, we're always willing to assist tenants. And we offer that and it's available, but it's also requires information that we wouldn't have. Does that make sense? Yeah. We have access to the application online, sure. Yes, if you and I can send a link after our meeting, tomorrow I can send a link where you can access the petitions. We have them in Spanish as well. So that way if you, you know, you want to just look over it and if I just want to look over it, then you can have access to those, to those links. I can send them. Send that out. I've seen something before. Is there any possibility for application more short, or no more complicate. So the there is a general application that the tenants have to fill out and then in that is required whether they're filling out the petition a b or, and that is basically contact information. And then the other forms are information that is required. So it's not like we're talking about tens of like more than 10 pages. I think it would help if you if you have the form in front of you and you kind of review it. But the information that is being requested is information that we would need in order to process and get the process going. Through the chair. So some of the information that is on these forms will be helpful because say a landlord does not respond at all Automatically that petition in its entirety would then go to The hearing officer for a decision because the landlord did not contest and that they did not approve so on the form the The and that they did not approve. So on the form, the document is going to have requests for the, you know, when did this start happening? When did you bring it to your landlord's attention? Has your landlord attempted to make any repairs? What are the issues? It asks for dates and then a percentage of what the tenant is requesting back as a refund for the issue. So they are detailed because this is something that if a tenant just comes with an issue, we need to be able to follow the process because it's laid out in the rent stabilization ordinance of what we need to do. So this is documentation that we keep track of because also if it's ever escalated to a court level past the board, these are all items that like evidence that you guys would pull or request to see or maybe an attorney is requesting a public record pool of going, hey, I need to see all the petitions that happen between for this property at this address because we're trying to address something. So it's important to have that information on those forms. Through the chair, I was wondering how do people attach things like photos and emails to the application? Do they send them straight to your guys' email? Or how does that work? So tenants are able to attach them in an email. Tenants are able to bring in photos and we condense everything down because what'll happen is we'll prepare the hearing packet for the hearing examiner so that they have all these documentation. So everything that the tenant might need to submit, tenants can still bring additional items to the hearing and additional if other things have happened since they've started the petition process. They could bring additional photos, they could bring other emails say that happened so that they could be brought to the hearing examiner's attention. There is also the ability for the hearing examiner to extend a due date past the hearing to continue to collect evidence in the hearing to give that opportunity if it's something that could truly be pertinent to the case at hand. Thank you. Thank you. One last comment before we move on to the next poll, the agenda item. I think it's a good sign that we actually I'm sad that there are so many petitions that have been received, but I'm glad that petitions have been received because that will help folks get the support that they need, hopefully very quickly. So it's a good thing. Board Member Smith, I think you wanted to pull 3.3. Through the chair, quickly before we move on to 3.3, Ms. Moreno mentioned that she would send us a link to the petition. I think it would also be really helpful if we can get the different orgs that help out tenants to fill out these organizations, sorry, to fill out these petitions so that we can refer them to these organizations. Through. Through the chair. So absolutely staff plan to send a follow up. There was also a petition training that took place. I want to say it was at the start of 2023. So we can also include the meeting link for that in case the board wants to review. It was quite a lengthy training because it is a lengthy process, but that's also a resource to review. And then we will send out the community organizations that are assisting with the petitions, and then we will send out the links to finding the actual petition documents. Any other comments on this before we move on? All right, word members Smith. Thank you. Through the chair. So 3.3 I would just like a quick refresher from staff just on on this specific point and just so that I have clarity that what staff is recommending is for the the this annual registration fee to be reduced from 304 I believe or 302 reducing it to 234. The chair just a quick point of order as we had pulled each item individually we would want to potentially go back and vote on the meeting minutes and close it out before we move on. Since we already voted on the we already voted on the minutes, we'll want to go back and vote on the program and numbers. I think the approval of that we didn't vote on the minutes because we couldn't because there's a mistake. Do you mean the agenda? Well, there is a motion on the minutes to postpone it. But now there's the program in numbers. If we want to do a roll call, if there is a motion to address those before we move on to the annual registration fee, since we pulled each item individually to talk about. Okay. I think I'm confused by that point of order, but okay. So we need to do a motion to approve the to receive the program and numbers report. Fair enough. I think we need a motion to approve. I shouldn't be me. No. I move that we... I move that we approve the receipt of the rents, the implementation program in numbers. I second that. Chair Pantin. Yes. Board member Sierra. Yes. Board member Larson. Yes. Board member Rubio. No. I have something concerning or something about the program number. I found something and I wanted to ask you guys because I'm concerned about the project Euclid. In high-synos, in September, the 30 days we found there are three tenants for move-eth. But for the numbers that you like to September, we have for Euclid project, two families. And I don't understand why it's in two months, we have only two families to move it. And include September and why in September, we have three families or the same project. I don't know if you do understand that. I think we can maybe ask staff but I think just as a point of order if we can make sure that before we pass a motion that we ask the questions because I thought we were done done, so we'll have to do it over again. It's fine, but it would just be good to figure out when we're done and when we're not done. So I think let me just turn to the staff and can you do answer? I can go back and check if it's an administrative error on our part of adding it up, but the total number should be correct. It would just be the breakdown and the designated categories, but the total number of change and tendencies that we received would be the full amount. Is that the 104? I'm sorry, can you walk, I think, we're gonna be, I think I'm still a little bit unclear. Can you, I'm sorry. So I believe from what I'm understanding through the chair that the year to date should be five and not just two of a total euclid change in tendencies that we received or reasons for vacating should be a total of five instead of two on the year to date where for the month of September we had three, but it may be that I forgot to add those ones as I was doing the report. So that's on me. I think so is very important looking or have the numbers exactly for that tenants because I remember that we have around 53 people moving to this project. I remember for the last meeting, I forgot if you are a September or July, it's only one family. And I think it's very important to concomany families. They already accept the move because I want to remember everybody that we are looking at this project. Through the chair, so staff plan to come back with the Euglid project number updates because we just received them recently, not in time to include them in the staff reports for this meeting. But we did get them so we can provide an update at that time of the options chosen and what we've reported on in the past. So we will come back with a more comprehensive update. Through the chair, I move that we postpone this item of receiving the program numbers and give staff an opportunity to, since that can't be answered about the specifics. And we could do it at the next meeting. Through the chair, we can do that. We'll just move the items and bring back multiple program and number reports. Great. Can we get us, we'll probably do a second on that motion. I second. Chair Phantin. Yes. Board members, the era. Yes. Board member Larson. May. No. No. Board Member Rubio. I move that we postpone receiving these numbers to allow staff to review them since the question couldn't be answered about that discrepancy. It happens we're human and my move that we receive them next month and we're being asked to say yes or no to this. Yes. to say yes or no to this. Yes. Board member Guzman. Yes. And board member Smith. Yes. Board member Montess. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Board members, you're reading things so carefully. Appreciate that. Okay. Are we ready to move to item 3.3? The program fees. Through the chair. I just wanted to refresh her of the annual registration fee and just so that I'm reading it correctly that this is to reduce it from 302 to 234 dollars. Through the chair. So staff is suggesting to adopt the resolution and holding the fee as it has been held for the past quite a few years as mentioned in the staff report. There is funds that can decrease the registration fee for another year. However, staff are on the back end working towards a study into the annual registration fee to fully comprehend the need for an increase potentially to increase the funding towards the program so that we do not have a deficit of funding in the program. Thank you. Does anyone else have any questions about that item? Can we, I think then we would just do a motion to agree to receive the an registration fee to $234 for the July 1st to June 24th to June 30th, 2025. Second that motion. Chair Fanton. Yes. Board member Sierra. Yes. Board member Larson. Yes. Board member Rubio. Yes. Board Member Guzman. Yes. Board Member Smith. Yes. And Board Member Montes. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you, everyone. Appreciate it. Can we move on to staff oral reports, please? Yes, thank you. So as mentioned in item 3.3, the registry was mentioned, and so I just wanted to give a quick update. Staff, do you plan to come back with a more thorough update on the rent registry. But staff return to City Council on October 1st with the rent registry selection of the registry developer. Currently staff are working to get the contract executed and staff plan to come back to the board of more detail. We will share the link to the October 1st Council meeting and at the on the agenda and the video, you'll be able to see the presentation along with the more detailed information of the selection process. We also just in case no one has seen the meeting, we did move forward with the vendor tolemie. And so they were selected to not only work on the city wide rent registry, but this will also provide an updated database for the rent stabilization program. So this should help with producing better reports and providing further information to the public. One of the other items that I wanted to bring to the board's attention that will go into effect on January 1st or that's the anticipated start date is AB 2347. This is a, this was an unlawful detainer answer period, which extends the answer period from five days to 10 days for tenants. This was signed by the governor recently. And so this will go into effect at the start of the next year. And then this was staff every that received the 31 petitions. As was mentioned in the program and numbers. And we are working to process the 31 petitions. Staff are again limited with what can be shared and discussed at this time. as there is a possibility that these petitions will come before the board and appeal. And then these petitions are reflected on the program and numbers reports. staff wanted to bring back that the November 8th, 2023 rent stabilization meeting had an advisory board training that was provided by the city attorney. And staff will share the link to the meeting in a follow up email so that board members knew or pass that on a refresher on the advisory board training that was provided can go back and watch the video. And then the other thing that staff are working on was that with we recognize that we're getting close to the rainy season and with so many tenants that had been affected by flooding, staff are going to be working on a communication to notify landlords as a reminder to make sure that they're checking their properties, making sure that they are checking to preemptively get ready for potential rainy season. We hope that there is not flooding like there was previously, but if there is below ground garages, making sure the draining system is working, making sure that trees are checked to make sure that things just going to break. So we're drafting the communication that will send out to landlords as just a reminder so that they're doing their due diligence as landlords to check their properties for these things. And then that's the end of our oral reports through the chair. I actually had a question about that is our landlords specifically being... Well, I'll just use an example. I last year I had my landlord that I could never get an answer to and then the rain stopped. And I called, actually, I wasn't on the red board. I think I called the rent board. And I said, how can I get help with this? And I learned a lot that the landlord is responsible for anything indoors, like on the property, to clear the whatever they call the drainage what are they called? Well, they're not gutters because it goes out to the waste gutters are the ones that are the sewer the sewer there was plants growing in there that's how much dirt there was um I called I think I called the rent board and I think you all were the city, I called somebody and they said, don't know, that's not the city, that's the landlord. The city is responsible for the ones on the street, which totally makes sense. I'm wondering if landlords are being made aware of that because it, like I said, the rain stopped. There's still an actually green like a plant growing there. So it, I think it speaks volumes to not be clear if something's growing out of there, right? So are landlords being told about that? Do they know that? Do you all, or is this city's responsible for telling landlords? I'm not sure who who does what right? Through the chair. So it is always the hope that landlords are taking care of their properties as they should. There were discussions with some tenants that staff have met with. And so it is something that staff are from the rent stabilization side starting to address, which we will, we know there is communication happening among city staff of what needs to be done and that they're getting prepared for the rainy season. And so there's other communications that will be going out. But we also wanted to send out just a reminder to landlords, hey, rainy season is coming. Check your gutters, check, make sure there's nothing blocking your drainage systems that could cause flooding in the garage because I remember there were cars very flooded and so we just wanted to start reminding landlords of that. And this is gonna be discussed with other city staff. So if it needs to be a larger communication of where also to get resources like sandbags and things like that, then we'll include that in the communication as well. Through the chair, when things like flooding happen and people's cars and other things get damaged? Who is responsible for that? Is it the people's responsibility or does that fall in the landlord because of lack of maintenance? So I believe that would actually be up to an insurance company to determine. So generally the hope is that tenants would have some type of renters insurance to help with their unit, but also having the legal insurance that may assist with this. So that would be one way to look into it. But generally, the insurance company looks at the claims that come in after and determine what was the cause and what happens from there. Any other comments on the staff or work? Awesome. Thank you. It was helpful. We're going to move on now to public comment. If there's anybody who's speaker cards, if they want to bring them up we can... Oh. Maria Mondragon. It will take 2 minutes to speak. If you can pass in front of the screen. Hello, good evening. I think it would be really great for someone to instructor on just to have sort sentences so since it's going to be, it's not simultaneous, right? So that we're able to hear the translation and also hear her comment. Thank you. So, we're going to give you more than two minutes because it's translating, but if you can speak Spanish and pause so that you can give the translator the opportunity to translate it in English so that everyone understands what he's saying. Okay, perfect. doctor. Que lo traduzca en inglés para que todos entiendan lo que está diciendo. OK. Perfecto. Gracias. Buenas noches a todos. Mi nombre es María Mondragon. Vivo en el este de Ispalo Alto. Formas de 14 años. In 2014, we came here and I am from the Inquilin Association of East Palo Alto. I'm going to do a little bit of the first one of the things that we have filled up on the petition, what is it? We have helped the inquiries to fill this form and it is a little bit, it is a little bit big. It is a little bit, some people do not have the ability to understand this form. So if we can ask for a little shorter application, the application. We also tried to see this petition for to At the same time in our departments. For me it's all. Thank you very much. Thank you. Maggie. Pam. I have one. I also live in East Palo to 301. I'm here to support my, I'm also in the Internet Association group, so I'm here to support. Thank you. Thank you for coming. James Hyland. Wein. I'll apologize if I'm mispronouncing the names. You're getting it's win. Hello everyone. My name is James. I work for a tenant rights organization called the Regional Tenant Organizing Network. And I'm just here to make comment about, you know, we have been working with the East still keep tenant association. And I assume those are the 31 petitions that were received by the rent committee, rent board and Having worked regionally the petition form is quite long even if you compare it to San Jose Even compared to San Francisco, I think and so it just You know, I I'm not super familiar with the specific stipulations of the local East Pawl all to law, but I don't think it would be a bad project to maybe think comparably in the region. What are the questions that are being asked in other cities that also have local rent stabilization? And what are the questions that maybe could be optional because we did, you know, working with tenants, there was a lot of, each question took a lot of explanation and it was a pretty lengthy process. And we're happy to do it. This is the work we want to do. And having supported tenants in different parts of the Bay Area, I do think it's a substantial lift. Through the chair. If I may ask a quick question. Yes, of course. Um, was it that the verbiage was was more on the difficult side or was it just the sheer volume of questions for clarifying information? I think there is a, I think it's the, it starts with a checklist and then it transitions like five questions. And I think, I think that's already for whatever reason seems to be confusing to people where they do the checklist and then they turn the page that go like, oh, there's all these questions. And it's like I as someone who like works professionally in tenant rights, I'm like, oh, there's just questions. But I think there may be a way in which maybe the checklist could maybe compensate instead of having to do the filling out. You know, I think it's just it. I think maybe this is a clearing answer, but I think it's a mix of verbiage, but also, and then it ends with a table in the back. I think it just shifts, like format too often. That's my guess, is that it's a checklist, and then you do word response, and then you do a table. And I think each time we would have to kind of sit and talk the tenants through like, okay, well, look at the list, you checked off, but you write about it. Now that you've written about it, can you repeat it on the back? I think it's like repeating the issues over and over. I think felt kind of tedious. Maybe if it was all just the table, because then at the end of the day, we would just tell them, look at your response on question two or three and then copy that for the table. But I think that became tedious. So I think there's like a good amount of repetition on the form that I think could be streamlined. Because I do think all the information is important personally, but I think there's something about you do a checklist, you write your answers, and then you fill out a table that I think became a bit overwhelming. Thank you. Thank you. Is there any additional public comment? There's none online. Sorry. Ready, Roman. Roman. Ready, Roman. Do you? Okay. But that's it. There's none online either. I'm going to go to the next slide. That's it. There's none online either. Wonderful. Thank you. Thank you for coming and taking the time to make public comment. And there's no other question from the board. Well, actually, I guess maybe just to say based on the public comment and comments we heard from the board. Is there some evaluation process that can happen at the petition from the staff level? Staff will take back the feedback and refer to the look at the cities. We have quite a few contexts of other rent stabilization programs. So the ordinance, yeah. Exactly. And so we will check theirs and look at ours and see if there's work with the city attorney to see if there's a way to streamline it or change the format or make it more accessible. Through the chair. Thank you for making public comment on this. I'm having worked at a law office. There's a lot of thought and care that generally goes into that kind of questionnaire from a lawyer's perspective to get all those details. Because this is a petition. You are requesting that rent is be lowered. And so it is a bit of a court case. So I strongly urge you to ensure, though I completely understand the overwhelming piece for a lay person, for a regular person, there are reasons that these questions are asked, right? And so definitely when you approach that, ensure that you're giving a substantial detailed overview so that a hearing examiner can make a decision, right? So that's the only cautionary item, though I do sympathize, and oftentimes the legal system is that way for us lay persons. Thank you for that agreed. If there's no other comment or questions we'll move on. I just want to make sure. All right awesome. We'll move on to if there are any informational reports. None at this time. Are there any special presentations? None. Are there any public hearings? No. Is there any policy in action? Not at this time. Okay. Are there any board member announcements and reports? Yes. I wanted to report. Thank you. I say thank you for the tenants that they come in and I want to report that two weeks ago, the president, the president, yeah, and me, we are present in something negotiation with this group with a good land and we stay present only for looking. We don't speak, we don't say nothing. Only we need a stay present because they invited us. This is my first report. I will, we attended this negotiation. And now another thing, I don't know if it's a report, but I wanted to invite everybody, sorry, the tenences going, but I'm going to invite for this coming Saturday for prevention for the inundation. Yeah, we're going to go, we are one thing that we clean in the San Francisco to clear, and we have a meeting, we're going to go meet Saturday the night to 12 for in the San Francisco to clear. And we have a meeting, we're gonna go meet Saturday, the night to 12 for clean the San Francisco to clear. If you somebody wanted coming with us, is as we need more hands and more people and in bullets and this action because we need prevention flourings. Thank you. Thank you for that. Actually, I think we're also going to clean up the street, right? Because it's not. I mean, we're the creek. There's some folks because we can't go into the creek. But we're also going to clean the streets. And there's a lot of us volunteers going there. But I had another announcement. And I don't have the details, but as I was leaving my house, Noes Tragasa, there were some people doing outreach and I will send it to Natasha. I will take a screenshot of it and send it to her because they are having, I do remember the date, is it election week, November 8th? And they are having a sort of, I don't know, they're not calling it a forum, but it's for community residents from East Palata to attend and get their perspective on the flooding and the city's response and the needs of the community. And they're gonna pay $50 for each attendee is what I was told as their outreach efforts. And what I told her is that, yeah, I thought that the city's communication on that issue was slow going and I'll send you the flyer so you could give it to the rest of the board if they are interested in this event Which I think is good because I think it's sort of a forum to see what I mean I I plan to go just because I'm a resident And I was pretty scared last year when and not having information and things like that so And I'm not affiliated with Nostra Kasa I really literally ran into them as I was going on my run. And they gave me a flyer and it's in my running back. Thank you. Perfect. Nice. Thank you. Any other comments or announcements that board members want to make? Through the chair for the staff or reports. I don't know if I missed or if I don't know if it was even mentioned of the presentation for Measure O and the funds and everything. I know that was still in the work, so I just wanted to see what the timeline was for that. So at the last board meeting, it was requested that we come back with a timeline. We are still working on that. We are trying to also balance the 31 petitions that came in and give them their due cost, stuff, or we do have it and a plan to go back to council and we will make the board aware when that meeting is going to take place. One comment to board members, we did attend the tenant and Woodland Park negotiation two weeks ago. I was really impressed with the Ten Association. I really, really, really impressed and felt like I don't the dialogue was healthy and helpful and I don't know what the outcome is going to be honestly, but I think there was I felt like the Woodland Park representation was listening at least or trying to listen or you're nodding so you play so I think there that felt like an important step in whatever journey happens there um whether we'll see some of those petitions as a result I don't know but it was good to be a part of it it was was good to see the really, or a lot of people and people were really engaged. And I was appreciative of the transparency that the tenants in particular showed as they were there. Any other announcements? Any other comments from board members? Hearing none. I'm sorry. Go ahead. Through the chair. I was wondering if there is any funds that the Rember's Debilization staff can tap into to potentially get somebody else to be in the staff to help the influx of these petitions coming as well as you know flooding is coming and I know we wanted to set up information clinics and I think it's just a lot to expect to people to do it so I was wondering if there's any room to potentially get a third maybe even a fourth you know to really help with the workload you know I think it would go to show the importance of the housing ordinance that we have to fund our staff. Through the chair, I want to say thank you for that comment. We appreciate the hard work and the board recognizes it. We do currently have a part time limited term staff who is assisting us with projects. 750 rent increases from a landlord that were for the month of September or October 1st. And so that staff member has been assisting us in processing those increases because if we didn't have that staff member, we would be much more behind as those are manually entered into our database. The calculations are double checked to make sure that things are correct and tenants are getting the proper increases. But this is one of the studies that we are doing behind the scenes and working with our finance team and with our HR department to verify where the potential expansion of our team may be able to take place, so that we can do all these things and really flush out the program even more to provide the assistance not only to the tenants, but those clinics to landlord to ensure that they know where their responsibilities are within the ordinance as well. Thank you. I am glad to hear that. One other note, I believed, obviously, there are elections coming up locally and nationally, the regist, folks need to be registered to vote. I believe by the end of this month or maybe early October. So I just want to make a general announcement to the public and to us that folks should be registered to vote, it's important. All right, I'm gonna assume no more announcements. Can we talk about recommendations for future actions and agendas items? Through the chair. I received a text message that folks were not able to access the Zoom link online. So I don't know where the agenda is listed on the website. I think it'd be helpful for staff to sort of give direction right now as to where it would be in the future. But it's just concerning that folks are not able to attend or find the link online on how to attend tonight's meeting. Through the chair, we're happy to give explanation as to where the link is found. So it is posted in the same location that the City Council meetings are posted. So on the City of East Pellow Alto website, if the public go and click on City meetings, it'll take them to a list of all scheduled upcoming City meetings, whether it's City Council or Restabilization Planning. And you will see the links that say Agenda or Agenda Packet. There is usually its states, I believe, video. And you can click the link to watch the live feed of the meeting and that's also worth the video will be posted after as well as the minutes once they're approved. Obviously we're gonna come back to the next meeting so they'll be delayed but they're in the same location as city councils. And so we do check the links because that was a previous thing to make sure that it's working, make sure the numbers are correct. So before, like after they're posted. So we verify everything's there. So if anybody else has questions on where to find it, we're happy to show them. But it's under the city meetings on the webpage. Are there any recommendations for future actions or agenda items? I have one then. I think I do want to come back to the measure. Oh, so I did mention it. So if we can you know, even just get an update on timeline. I know you all are busy. It's all good. I did we talked at the last meeting about the possibility of a joint meeting with the city council or at least some conversation maybe after the election. I don't know, but I think we maybe is there an action item to be had in terms of a conversation with them about the role of this board or something of the like? So it's something we can look into. I believe this is something that right now, we would check with the city attorney and the upper division directors to verify when we could potentially do like maybe a study session to review things like maybe the registry or how that ordinance is going to play out or things like that. But staff can definitely ask the questions and try and come back with something through the chair. We do have an election. So it's likely to be a brand new city council. So I suggest we allow them. Because two people are running for supervisor. So at least two people, least maybe three new. So I suggest we give them some time to get their bear and even know about the rent point. I mean, they're gonna be new. So I don't want them just showing up. Right? Just keep that in context. Just... up right just keep that in context just. Fair enough. All right any any other agenda items for the future or we. Okay. Yeah. Sorry through the chair. Um I know that. Two months ago or two months ago we had had um one of them measure. Oh partners give us a report. And I know that the report had like a bunch of questions and stuff, so I was also wondering if, you know, maybe after election says, well, we have all of the partners kind of come and give us like a report that really does outline like measure O funds, because I know, for example, last time Nostraka kind of gave us like a general one and it was like more information on just their general work, which I'm sure is important as well. But I think we still had a lot of questions just in regards to like where the funds are really going. So yeah, that would be super helpful. Thank you. Through the chair. So along with the timeline that has been requested, that is one of the things that we are working towards is getting the Measurer partners to actually go back to Council and give the presentation and we were going to inform the board of the date of that meeting so that the board can attend and hear the full presentations because it was counsel that you know requested these anti displacement projects be taken on and so we wanted to prevent that update to the board or to the to the city council and include the board on that and then you know we're looking at the request for proposal to get an evaluator that's an outside party to evaluate what has happened with the program so they can give further insight to see the success of the program. Thank you. Through the chair on the metro topic, I was wondering is there a deadline for these funds? Or is it like a continuous thing? Yeah. So there will be an end of program at the end of two years because it was done for two years. And so at that point, we may go and request an extension to council, but we are having the evaluator do the evaluation so that they can see whether or not it's something that, you know, bringing the data back to counsel and and seeing if that's something that they want to continue or if they want to make adjustments to it or fund a different part because they saw that maybe there was more success in that or there's more of a need for a different area. So that's where that evaluator's gonna come in and provide that additional information. And when would that deadline be of like the two years? I wanna say it is at the end of March of 2025. I believe that's the, there's two different sets of contracts that are going on. So there's a contract for Samaritan House that is on a different timeline. Then the contract that was the other three programs of Nostarcaza, Yuka, and community legal services. So their timelines are going to end at different, or their contracts are going to end at different times. So we're looking into all of those to have a cohesive report for council and whether or not we even need to do a temporary extension so that those additional services are not cut off. But again, that is something we are working on currently to bring back to council. Thank you. So I think just to be clear since a bunch of people asked questions about it, the best way for us to find out about measure or information is to go to the city council meeting in which they are being asked by the council to present. Correct. That is correct. Awesome. Board members are always individually able to come and talk to staff and between meetings if they wish to have or if they have further questions. We're happy to discuss. So they're always welcome to reach out and we're happy to talk about the program or what you know things are looking like for staff so we can try and give further information or follow up. Right, but I think it could be helpful if we can attend because it might answer some questions and then maybe even their questions we could talk about here if we have the information. So absolutely understood. All right. I am going to call this meeting adjourned. 821 PM.