CITY OF SANTA MONICA RENT CONTROL BOARD MEETING 1685 Main Street THURSDAY, December 7, :00 P.M. AGENDA

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1 CITY OF SANTA MONICA RENT CONTROL BOARD MEETING 1685 Main Street THURSDAY, December 7, :00 P.M. AGENDA 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. ROLL CALL -- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: November 9, SPECIAL AGENDA ITEM 6. CONSENT CALENDAR (Public discussion is permitted.) A. Appeals 1) D-3735: th St., Appellants DellaGatta (LL) Landlord appeals hearing officer decision which grants rent decrease for numerous conditions. 2) D-3752: th St., #9, Appellant Kramer (LL) by T. Altamura, Mgr. Landlord appeals hearing officer decision which grants rent decreases for various conditions. 7. JURISDICTIONAL ITEM (Public discussion is permitted.) B. Exemptions - Owner-Occupancy 1) 1267: rd St., Applicant - Girvetz 2) 1268: th St., Applicant Von Riesen Applicants request an exemption of a three-unit property based upon owner occupancy pursuant to section 1801(c)(4). Recommendations: Grant 3) E-1272: 1819 Pico Blvd., #1831-B, Applicant Santa Monica Christian Center Applicant seeks social services use exemption for vacant unit to house youth and family services organization. Recommendation: Grant 8. PUBLIC HEARING (Public discussion is permitted) A. Proposed Amendments to Registration Regulations, Regulations 3301, 8010, and Chapter ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS (Public discussion is permitted) A. Staff Reports 1. Final Implementation of Settlement Agreement for Hotel Exemption of 19 Units at Embassy Hotel Apartments, 1001 Third Street. 2. Request by owner to modify the terms of a removal permit agreement previously granted th St., Applicant JSM Treviso, LLC by C. Harding and K. Kutcher (Rep.). 11. BOARD DISCUSSION ITEM A. Report on Seminar Commissioner Finkel 12. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION A. Letter from B. Svatek. 13. REQUESTS TO SPEAK - (Requests from members of the public to speak to the Board on any issue in general) 15. ADJOURNMENT Next Regular RCB meeting January 11, :00 p.m., Council Chamber

2 SANTA MONICA RENT CONTROL BOARD REGULAR MEETING MINUTES December 7, CALL TO ORDER The Rent Control Board meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by Commissioner Toy followed by the pledge of allegiance. 2. ROLL CALL Members Present: Others Present: Bruria Finkel Betty Mueller Alan Toy Doug Willis Mary Ann Yurkonis, Administrator Doris Ganga, General Counsel Tracy Condon, Public Information Mgr. Keith Kresge, Staff Attorney Laima Noseworthy, Acting Board Secretary 3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: November 9, Commissioner Willis, seconded by Commissioner Mueller, moved to adopt the minutes of November 9, The motion passed in a 3 0 roll call vote (Commissioner Finkel Abstained). 4. SPECIAL AGENDA ITEM Administrator Yurkonis made several announcements. First, Ms. Yurkonis announced this was the last meeting of the year and the next meeting was scheduled for January 11, She also announced Commissioners Sklar and Willis would be sworn in at the December 12 th City Council meeting following a reception. Ms. Yurkonis brought to the Boards attention written communication from Joy Fulmer regarding item number 8A on the agenda - Public Hearing on Proposed Amendments to Registration Regulations. The final announcement by Ms. Yurkonis was regarding a timely continuance request by the respondent s representative for Item 6A1 of the Consent Calendar (Appeal - D-3735). Staff recommendation was to grant the continuance to the next Board meeting of January 11, Commission Finkel, seconded by Commissioner Mueller, moved to adopt staff recommendation to continue the appeal. The motion Commissioner Finkel also had a number of items to announce. She expressed her interest in meeting with the Planning and Housing Commissions regarding a report on historic houses and landmark preservation. Administrator Yurkonis informed the commissioners the agency had already requested a meeting with the Panning staff to discuss the recommendations cited in the report. 1

3 Commissioner Toy requested that Ms. Yurkonis also check with the Planning Department on the status of the request for a Visitability Ordinance. Commissioner Finkel also discussed a communication she received from a tenant of the Village Trailer Park and asked if the agency could address some of the concerns raised by the tenants of the Park. General Council Ganga stated that although the tenants of the park fall under Rent Control Jurisdiction, the issues raised in the communication were outside of the Board s authority. Administrator Yurkonis further explained that many of the tenant concerns would be more appropriately raised before the City Attorney s office. She added that the agency was working with a number of tenants of the park on issues which did fall under the Board s jurisdiction, such as pending excess rent cases. Finally, Commissioner Finkel expressed her delight with the latest issue of the Agency s Newsletter and took the opportunity to remind the public the Newsletter contained a lot of useful information. 6. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Appeal 1) D-3735: th St., Appellants DellaGatta (LL) This matter was continued to the Board meeting scheduled for January 11, ) D-3752: th St., #9, Appellant Kramer (LL) by T. Altamura, Mgr. Commissioner Willis, seconded by Commissioner Finkel moved to adopt staff recommendation. The motion 7. JURISDICTIONAL ITEM B. Exemptions Commissioner Finkel, seconded by Commissioner Willis moved to grant the exemptions on the cases listed below. The motion unanimously passed in a roll call vote. Owner Occupancy 1) 1237: rd St., Applicant Girvetz 2) 1268: th St., Applicant Von Riesen Exemption Social Services 3) E-1272: 1819 Pico Blvd., #1831-B, Applicant Santa Monica Christian Center Administrator Yurkonis and Staff Attorney Kresge gave a brief history of the social services exemption. Commissioner Mueller, seconded by Commissioner Willis moved to adopt staff recommendation and grant the exemption. The motion 2

4 8. PUBLIC HEARING A. Proposed Amendments to Registration Regulations, Regulations 3301, 8010 and Chapter 13. The public hearing was opened and closed. There were no requests to speak from the public on this matter. Commissioner Toy read excerpts from correspondence from a member of the public. Following a brief discussion, Commissioner Finkel, seconded by Commissioner Mueller moved to adopt staff recommendation. The motion 9. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS A. Staff Reports 1. Final implementation of Settlement Agreement for Hotel Exemption of 19 units at Embassy Hotel Apartments, 1001 Third Street. Administrator Yurkonis, presented a summary of the staff report. The following persons addressed the Board: Kevin Kozal, James P. Miner and Jeff Sklar. In response to a request by Mr. Miner, Ms. Yurkonis agreed to direct staff to send each tenant in the controlled units a letter explaining the settlement agreement. Following a discussion, Commissioner Finkel, seconded by Commissioner Mueller, moved to adopt staff recommendation. The motion 2. Request by owner to modify the terms of a removal permit agreement previously granted th St., Applicant JSM Treviso, LLC by C. Harding and K. Kutcher (Rep.) General Counsel, Doris Ganga and Administrator Yurkonis presented a summary of the staff report. Kevin Kozal (Applicant s Representative) addressed the Board and commented that Mr. Craig Jones from the property owners group was available for questions. Commissioner Finkel took the opportunity to pose several questions to Mr. Jones. Commissioner Toy relayed a written statement from a member of the public. Following a brief discussion, Commissioner Finkel, seconded by Commissioner Willis, moved to adopt the staff recommendation. The motion 11. BOARD DISCUSSION ITEM A. Report on seminar Commissioners Willis and Finkel presented an informative summary of some of the key topics discussed at the meeting presented by the Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs. A brief discussion followed. 12. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION A. Letter from B. Svatek. Commissioner Finkel, seconded by Commissioner Willis moved to receive and file the communication. The motion 3

5 13. REQUESTS TO SPEAK Pro Se addressed the Board. Administrator Yurkonis announced the annual City Hall Christmas Party was to be held on December 8 th from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and invited all to come. Commissioner Mueller inquired if staff was aware of the outcome of a particular Superior Court Case brought by property owner, Donald Sterling, against a tenant. Administrator Yurkoinis responded that although she was not aware of the outcome in that particular case, the agency was aware of the situation in general and was working with other City departments on this issue. 15. ADJOURNMENT At 8:35 p.m., Commissioner Finkel, seconded by Commissioner Willis, moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion unanimously passed in a voice vote. 4