How to Contact Elected Officials

The Rent Board continually acts as though these small, owner-occupied parcels are evil landlords, with some greedy intent to steal money from their tenants. We are not!   

"Small owners who live onsite with their tenant, have a more personal relationship - one that is akin to a roommate. We share common areas, and the impact of our interactions has a far greater effect on us then an owner that doesn’t live on site. If evictions weren’t so costly and lengthy, and I could quickly disengage from a contentious relationship with my tenant, I wouldn’t be fighting for these protections. But the truth is evictions are expensive, on average take 2-4 months, and in the meanwhile I am forced to live in close proximity to the tenant that is posing the problem or has violated the lease."

Craft your story by answering some of these questions:

• Do you offer a rent to your tenant that is less than market?
• Do you and your tenant share common space?
• What kind of a relationship do you have with your tenant?
• Would you take your rental unit off the market if the city made it more difficult for you to terminate that tenancy?
• Do you have a vacancy right now that you will not fill because of increase regulations?

TELL YOUR PERSONAL STORY TO THE MAYOR & COUNCIL. These stories are important. Let them know how you are a provider of an essential service during the pandemic and you are working to provide your tenants a safe space to be during Shelter in Place!

When the rest of the City is focusing on reducing expenditures, putting hiring freezes into place and figuring how to survive, the Rent Board is acting tone deaf by trying to grab more money through additional registration fees and increased regulation. All community members (both landlord AND tenant) ability to voice concerns is hobbled under the Shelter-in-Place Order, and standard participation in public discussion is hindered. 

In 2018, the voters spoke and that said increased regulation owner-occupied parcels are a hindrance to the creation of ADUs. The Rent Board is acting tone deaf in ignoring the will of the voter. Golden Duplex exemptions follow the same lines of owner-occupied ADU parcels – increased regulation inhibits an owner’s likelihood to choose to rent to a long term tenant.