RENT STABILIZATION BOARD Special Meeting AGENDA

Rent Stabilization Board

2125 Milvia Street, Berkeley, California 94704

TEL: (510) 981-7368 (981-RENT) •••• TDD: (510) 981-6903 •••• FAX: (510) 981-4940

E-MAIL: [email protected] �� INTERNET: www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/

RENT STABILIZATION BOARD

Special Meeting

Maudelle Shirek Building Monday, February 27, 2017

2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way 7:00 p.m.

Council Chambers, Second Floor

Broadcast Live on KPFB – 89.3 and BTV Cable Channel 33

Live Webcasting at www.cityofberkeley.info/rent

Teleconference location: 1600 South Joyce Street, Apt. 328, Arlington, VA 22202

This meeting will be conducted in accordance with the Brown Act, CA Government Code Section 54953(b)(2),

and Teleconferencing. Any member of the public may attend this meeting at either location. Questions regarding

this matter may be addressed to Aimee Mueller, Secretary to the Board, at (510) 981-4932.

AGENDA

* Times allotted for each item are approximate and may be changed at the Board’s discretion during the

course of this meeting.

1. Roll call – 1 min.*

2. Approval of Agenda – 1 min.*

3. Public Forum – 3 min. allotted per speaker*

4. ACTION ITEMS

a. From Board Members, Executive Director and Committees

(1) Proposed Process to Nominate Candidates for Consideration to Replace Outgoing

Rent Board Commissioner Harr (Chair Selawsky)

(2) Discussion of applicants and nomination of eligible candidates to be considered by

the Ad Hoc Replacement Committee to fill the vacant seat on the Board (Executive

Director)

5. ADJOURNMENT

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Meeting Agenda

Monday, February 6, 2017

Page 2

COMMUNICATION ACCESS INFORMATION:

This meeting is being held in a wheelchair-accessible location. To request disability-related

accommodation(s) to participate in the meeting, including auxiliary aids or services, please

contact Aimee Mueller at 981-4932 or 981-6903 (TDD) at least three business days before

the meeting date.

Please refrain from wearing scented products to this meeting.

Rent Stabilization Board

2125 Milvia Street, Berkeley, California 94704

TEL: (510) 981-7368 (981-RENT) •••• TDD: (510) 981-6903 •••• FAX: (510) 981-4940

E-MAIL: [email protected] •••• INTERNET: www.cityofberkeley.info/rent

M E M O R A N D U M

DATE: February 27, 2017

TO: Rent Board Commissioners

FROM: Rent Board Chair Selawsky

SUBJECT: Proposed Process to Nominate Candidates for Consideration to Replace Outgoing Rent

Board Commissioner Harr

Background:

Under the City Charter, the Board must select a replacement to complete the time remaining (through

November 30, 2018) on Rent Board Commissioner Katherine Harr’s term. At our February 6, 2017

meeting we voted to form an Ad Hoc Committee to vet potential candidates and make a

recommendation to the full Board at our March 20, 2017 meeting. This committee will speak with

candidates and review their resumes.

As we discussed at the February 6, 2017 meeting, to qualify as a potential replacement Commissioner on

the Board, a candidate must be a resident of Berkeley and a registered voter. (City Charter, Article XVII,

Section 121(1).)

The Board also voted to hold a special meeting on February 27, 2017, so that each Commissioner is able

to nominate a maximum of two candidates for the Ad Hoc Committee to more thoroughly vet. The

Board did not discuss how these candidates will be nominated.

Recommendation:

I propose that the Board simultaneously nominate candidates by written ballot following public

comment and after Board discussion and questions on the action item. Each Commissioner will be

given a piece of paper with his/her name on top and two slots to nominate candidates below.

Item 4.a.(1)

Proposed Process to Nominate Candidates for Consideration to fill the Board Vacancy

Page 2

2

Example below:

Commissioner [NAME]

1.__________________________________________________

Name of Replacement Candidate for Ad Hoc Committee to vet

2.__________________________________________________

Name of Replacement Candidate for Ad Hoc Committee to vet

Each Commissioner will enter the names of his/her top two preferred candidates (not necessarily ranked)

for the Ad Hoc Committee to interview. After collecting the provided sheets of paper, Board Secretary

Aimee Mueller will read the names aloud, and the Ad Hoc Committee will further consider those

nominated.

This gives each Commissioner equal opportunity to vote on potential replacement candidates at the same

time. For nominations, I believe this is more fair than the standard voting process, because each

Commissioner is able to register his/her preference at the same time with equal weight with no

individual Board Member having greater influence based on when they nominate.

Alternatively, the Board may choose to follow its standard alphabetical roll call voting procedure to

make nominations.

Item 4.a.(2)

Rent Stabilization Board Office of the Executive Director


TO: Honorable Members of the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board

FROM:

-- . - ! 0

John Selawsky, Chairperso~- · ·_-:t '-· L .~<:Z:sl(~----;;, l{__,,./ Jay Kelekian, Executive Dire.~tpr {./"<-7 1 ·

... _,, • f

SUBJECT: Applications from Candidates to Replace Outgoing Commissioner Harr

On Tuesday, February 7, 2017, the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board announced that it would begin accepting applications from qualified Berkeley residents to fill the vacancy left by outgoing Commissioner Katharine Harr on an interim basis (through November 30, 2018). To apply, candidates were asked to submit a letter of 500 or fewer words detailing their background and why they wished to serve on the Board. All applications must include the candidate's full legal name, current living address (post office boxes will not be accepted), as well as telephone and other contact numbers.

Attached hereto @.l'e applications received by staff prior to the deadline for inclusion in the Board agenda packet for the February 27, 2q17 Special Meeting. The applicants are:

1. Sabrina Aller 2. Mark Beckwith 3. Jason Budge 4. William B. Caldeira 5. Rajib Chowdhury 6. Mel Cole 7. Stefan Elgstrand 8. Mary Gilg 9. Lisa Handwerker 10. Judy J. Hunt 11. Mary Macaluso-Haupert 12. Daniel McMullan 13. Lance Montauk, presented by Krista Gulbransen, Executive Director of the Berkeley

Rental Housing Coalition 14. Poki Namkung 15. Dylan Nix 16. Shoshana O'Keefe 17. Remi Omodele

2125 Milvia Street, Berkeley, California 94704 TEL: (510) 981-7368 (981-RENT) • TDD: (510) 981-6903 • FAX: (510) 981-4940 E-MAIL: [email protected] • INTERNET: www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/

18. Daniel Oviedo 19. Maria Poblet 20. Christine Schwartz 21. Nate Wollman, presented by Krista Gulbransen, Executive Director of the Berkeley

Rental Housing Coalition

Attachment: Packet of all application materials received by Rent Stabilization Program staff prior to the deadline for inclusion in the agenda packet for the February 27, 2017 Special Meeting,

2125 Milvia Street, Berkeley, California 94704 TEL: (510) 981-7368 (981-RENT) • TDD: (510) 981-6903 • FAX: (510) 981-4940 E-MAIL: [email protected] • INTERNET: www.cityotberkeley.info/rent/

Sabrina Aller ''Always executing thorough follow-up and is a pleasure to speak with."

Jen Fabish Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board 2125 Milvia Street Berkeley, CA 94704

Dear Berkeley Rent Board:

February 19, 2017

I am responding to your opening for an interim position on the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board. I'm originally from Southern California and have resided in the Bay Area since May 2006. I have been in Berkeley for more than half of that time. I represent an unique demographic within Berkeley as,l'm a self-supporting young working professional. When I graduated high school I entered the work force and put off finishing my higher education. Thanks to the support I received at Berkeley City College I was able to transfer to University of San Francisco at 29 years old. This would not have been possible without securing affordable housing within Berkeley.

I have a deep passion for the progressive values that Berkeley has instilled in a social and private setting. I know there is a lot of work that needs to be done to secure the diversity of the Berkeley community and I'm committed to using my expertise to contribute to the Berkeley Rent Board. In my professional life, I have worked with retailers at their headquarters such as Andronico's Community Market and whenever we had extra product we contributed to homeless shelters. My project management skills have been complimented in the public and corporate level. I have been looking for opportunities that can tie in my love for people, Berkeley, and my drive to delve deep into contributing to the social fabric of rental housing. I would love to start by being part of the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board.

My biggest drive is to always be learning and continuing to improve and hone my skills. I want to work for a group that is constantly striving to create and enhance. Everyone apart of the Berkeley Rent Board has proven to be ardent about hard work, innovation, and improvement, while being responsible to the local community. All of which are qualities that I have myself and that I value in others.

I hope to be part of the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board . I look forward to speaking with you. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sabrina Aller 2018 9th Street Unit G Berkeley, CA 94710 415-624-9217 [email protected]

REC EIVEE:)

17 FEB 21 P12 :42

BeckwithFabish, Jennifer

From: Sent: To: Subject: Attachments:

Please see attached application.

Mark Beckwith <[email protected]> Wednesday, February 22, 2017 4:09 AM Fabish, Jennifer application for vacant Rent Stabilization Board rent board app.pdf

1

Beckwith

Mark Beckwith 2931 Ellis St. Berkeley, CA 94 703

February 21, 2017

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board 2125 Milvia Street Berkeley, CA 94704

To whom it may concern :

My name is Mark Beckwith and I have been a resident of Berkeley since 1978. I am writing to apply for the vacant seat on the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board.

My first experience with Berkeley landlord/tenant relations began when I arrived as a University of California student. As a requirement of a sociology class, I was to work with a local community organization and ended up with the Berkeley Tenants Union, counseling tenants who were being evicted.

For the next six years I gained experience as a rentor. As a quadraplegic living on a fixed income, I discovered finding an apartment that is both affordable and wheelchair accessible is not an easy task. I also discovered that some landlords do not like to rent to people in wheelchairs. Fortunately, in those days, there were still a few amicable slumlords who would rent to anyone with enough money for their often substandard rental units.

Then, in 1984, my family bought a fixer upper house with an accessible downstairs and two rental units upstairs. Since that time, I have had the opportunity to see and experience the relationship between landlords and tenants from the opposite point of view. It has become my responsibility to serve as a sort of property manager for my aging mother -- collecting rent, solving tenants' problems, keeping up maintenance, paying taxes and fees, and complying with Berkeley rent control and other ordinances.

I would like the opportunity to serve on the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board because I feel that I would bring a unique perspective, having been a low income tenant, and now being a low income property owner.

I may be contacted at 510-847-4892 or by email at [email protected].

Sincerely,

~~ Mark Beckwith

BudgeFabish, Jennifer


Hello Jen,

Jason Budge <[email protected]> Wednesday, February 22, 2017 10:52 AM Fabish, Jennifer Rent Board Vacancy Application berkeleyside.com-Op-ed Why oppose building new homes for the homeless.pdf; BudgeJason_RentBoard.pdf

I am submitting an application to fill the vacancy on the rent stabilization board. I also included an op-ed I published on affordable housing in Berkeley, and I would like that to be part of my application.

Let me know if you need anything else from me.

Thank you, Jason

1

Budge

Dear Commissioners,

I am writing to express my interest in filling the vacancy on the rent stabilization board. In

serving on the board, I hope to act as a proponent of affordable housing, fair

tenant-landlord relations, and effective rent control. I am a lifelong Bay Area resident, and I

have witnessed the astronomical increase in housing prices. I graduated from UC Berkeley

and I have lived in the city for about five years. While I was a student I focused my studies

on poverty and inequality. I spent a summer working with Berkeley Food and Housing

Project, a non-profit that aids the large homeless population, and I wrote an op-ed in

Berkeleyside based on my experiences arguing on behalf of a new affordable housing

complex (see attached). I was the president of a student housing cooperative with the

mission of fostering affordable student housing: we frequently discussed ways to make the

cooperative community more affordable and how to address the inequalities latent in the

system. As house president, I was tasked with facilitating a 56 person council meeting,

coordinating the other managers, and setting up an agenda. I learned to listen fairly to all

participants in our meetings, to facilitate conflict resolution between members and

managers, and to balance depth of discussion with a timely agenda. These are skills that a

commissioner will need on the rent stabilization board and make me prepared to serve the

remainder of the two year term as an advocate for fair housing in the City of Berkeley

Sincerely,

Jason Alexander Budge

2906 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, Apt C

Berkeley, CA 94703

925-389-0933

jalexanderbudge(dlgmail.com

BudgeOp-ed: Why oppose building new homes for the homeless?

(!} berkeleyside.com

Guest contributor Nov. 18, 2013, 6:44 p.m.

The homeless are the most marginalized and dispossessed people in the United States. To be homeless is to

experience a wide spectrum of discrimination. In the past decade, legislation seeking to criminalize the homeless

has gained popularity in cities that are fed up or exasperated with the "homeless problem".

The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty reported that between 30% and 50% of major American cities criminalize some form of homelessness, ranging from "aggressive" panhandling to simply sitting on the

sidewalk.

Our own city tried to pass such an ordinance last fall, Measure S, which would have criminalized sitting on the sidewalk. These laws take away the last and only home of the homeless, and in effect question their right to

exist.

Criminalizing the effects of homelessness does nothing to solve the crisis of homelessness. So what do we do? How

can we end homelessness in Berkeley?

More affordable housing is the answer. The National Coalition for the Homeless, one of the nation's largest homeless advocacy groups, claims that the recent rise in the number of people living on the streets is caused by

a decrease in the levels of affordable housing. Rent has increased in the last decade while wages have fallen for

low-income workers. Government support for these workers to afford their rent, rather than increasing to meet the

growing demand, has actually dropped by 50%.

Constructing more affordable housing is the best way to solve this crisis.

The Berkeley City Council is considering just such a proposal. It is beginning to discuss the possibilities of building a new affordable housing complex where a parking lot is currently located on Berkeley Way and Henry Street.

Councilmembers Arreguin, Capitelli , Worthington , and Maio have proposed creating a "super-green affordable

housing project with zero net energy use".

With only 135 shelter beds for over 800 homeless persons, this affordable housing project is critical to the ending of chronic homelessness in Berkeley.

Many residents are asking· how this will affect the city's budget. In fact, according to a major study conducted by University of Pennsylvania Professor Dennis Culhane on New York City's homeless, providing affordable housing

saved the city over $16,000 per homeless person per year. The savings were due to a reduction in city-financed

emergency medical care and criminal justice proceedings, including arrests, court hearings, and jail time. Portland has an affordable housing program that reduced city expenses on the homeless by $25,000 per person per year; Denver saves $15,000.

Affordable housing has a number of other positive effects on the homeless, too. One study conducted in Seattle

shows that homeless alcoholics placed into permanent affordable housing showed a 33% decline in alcohol abuse. It is well documented that children who live in permanent homes do much better in school. Health seems to

universally improve with permanent affordable housing. The results are clear: permanent homes do more to help

the lives of the homeless than anything else.

So why would some members of the Berkeley community contest this proposal? Some downtown business owners

argue that the replacement of the parking lot with an affordable housing complex will deter visitors to Berkeley given our notorious parking (un)availability. Yet many of these same business owners who supported Measure S last fall

1/2

Budgeargued that the homeless living on the streets were deterring customers. An affordable housing complex would absorb many of the homeless persons who loiter outside downtown businesses and thus improve the atmosphere

for shops and restaurants. Business owners should be in favor of affordable housing!

It is time that we as a community support the proposal to create new affordable housing in Berkeley. Constructing permanent affordable housing is the first, necessary step in eliminating homelessness from Berkeley.

Berkeleyside welcomes submissions of op-ed articles. We ask that we are given first refusal to publish. Topics should be Berkeley-related and local authors are preferred. Please email submissions to us. Berkeleyside will publish op-ed pieces at its discretion.

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© Berkeleyside All Rights Reserved.

2/2

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ChowdhuryFabish, Jennifer


Hello Jen,

Rajib Chowdhury <[email protected]> Wednesday, February 22, 2017 3:13 PM Fabish, Jennifer Application for Rent Stabilization Board Vacancy Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Application (Rajib Chowdhury).pdf

It was a pleasure speaking with you on the phone. Please find attached my application for the vacancy on the Rent Stabilization Board.

Thank you, Raj Chowdhury

1

Chowdhury

Rajib Chowdhury 1603 10th Street Berkeley, CA 94710 (415) 269-6153 raj.chowdhury@gmail .com

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board

Application to Fill Vacant Seat

• My priority is to uphold Berkeley's rent ordinances and work on behalf of both renters and landlords in resolving housing

issues pursuant to the law. I will work to ensure that renters cannot be evicted without just cause.

• As a member of Berkeley's Muslim American community, I am particularly interested in advocating for further outreach

on behalf of the Board to Berkeley's immigrant communities, refugees, and non-English speaking residents.

• Many immigrants in Berkeley have arrived only recently to the United States and may not be familiar with the City's

landlord-tenant mediation services, rent ceilings, or security deposit ordinances, for example. These residents are at

greatest risk of being taken advantage of by landlords.

• As a child my family moved often, between Bangladesh, Thailand, China, and finally settling in the United States. I

understand firsthand how knowing your legal rights and responsibilities as a renter or landlord is an important step in

feeling secure in your home in a new land.

• Over the years, the Board has made a strong effort to communicate information regarding its services to Spanish,

Cantonese, and Mandarin speaking residents. However, Berkeley's vibrant immigrant population continues to grow

even more diverse, as we welcome new residents of Middle-Eastern, African, and South Asian origin . As Berkeley's

immigrant population grows, I intend to to explore new ways of reaching these communities and providing information

regarding their rights as both renters and landlords.

Professional Experience

I am a municipal financial analyst, examining the revenue, expenditure, and borrowing decisions of municipalities, including

cities, counties, and school districts in California and the western region of the United States. In particular, I monitor Housing

Finance Authorities, which are typically independent organizations chartered by a state to expand the availability of safe,

affordable housing within the state. I analyze single family housing programs which support homeownership, and

multifamily programs which offer loans to developers to help finance apartment developments that will provide affordable

housing.

Education

Education: Dartmouth College (BA in Economics); Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University

(MPA)

Background

My wife is a local artist, and we welcomed our first child last fall. Along with our dog, we are happy residents of West

Berkeley.

ColeFabish, Jennifer


Dear Jen,

Mel Cole <[email protected]> Wednesday, February 22, 2017 1:11 PM Fabish, Jennifer Application to Rent Board Cole_M_Application to Rent Board.pdf

It was a pleasure to speak with you yesterday, thank you for all the helpful information! Enclosed please find my letter and resume to apply to the vacancy for Rent Board Commissioner. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.

Best, Mel Cole mobile: 510.506.2982

1

Cole

February 22, 2017

VIA E-MAIL ONLY

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Attn: Jen Fabish 2125 Milvia Street Berkeley, CA 94704 [email protected]

Re: Application to Become Board Commissioner

Dear Board Commissioners and Ad Hoc Committee Members:

Mel M.C. Cole 1340 Berkeley Way, Apt. A Berkeley, CA 94702 510.506.2982 mobile melmccole@gmail .com

I write to apply for the vacancy left by Board Commissioner Katherine Harr. As a 7-year Berkeley tenant, former U.C. Berkeley student, and now practicing attorney, I believe I can bring a diversity of perspective that will reinforce old bridges and build new ones between the landlord and tenant communities of the city. Berkeley's rental ordinances have provided me with a level of security that is generally reserved for homeowners, so I understand the importance of protecting those who are often at a financial disadvantage. But every day at work, as an attorney who defends employers, I represent individuals and businesses who often struggle with the implementation of laws meant to protect another often financially disadvantaged group: employees. Seeing both sides of this coin has ingrained in me the importance of being open-minded, and seeking solutions that consider the positions of all involved - a necessary trait in a governing body that works "to protect against unwarranted rent increases and evictions and to provide a fair return to property owners."

As an attorney, I have a deep respect for the work of making policy into law, and an intimate understanding of how effective lawmaking can resolve a society's challenges. I am trained to look at both sides of an issue, broker agreements when possible, and advocate when necessary - all skills I believe would serve the Board and the City of Berkeley well.

In addition, I am no stranger to public service: I served as Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco a decade ago, temporarily giving up everything I had and knew to experience and hopefully help a foreign community. In law school, I volunteered with Centro Legal de La Raza in Oakland, using my native Spanish to assist my fellow members of the Latinx community resolve their legal troubles. And now, as a tenant with significant student loan debt who dreams of one day starting a family, I hope to turn to give back a community that has made my success possible: the city of Berkeley.

Cole

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board February 22, 2017 Page 2

The Rent Board, through its policies and ordinances, touches my day-to-day decisions in a way that no other organization does. What is more, I know this to be true for my friends and neighbors as well, many of whom are Berkeley residents. And no wonder - the rental market in the Bay Area is facing unprecedented challenges. The more Berkeleyians from different experiences and backgrounds contribute to make changes, the closer we as a community come to weathering - and flourishing through - this storm. With that in mind, I submit my name to be just such a Berkeleyian, to roll up my sleeves and contribute instead of complain. I hope you will consider me.

Below my signature please find the required application information. I have also included my resume with this letter. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.

Sincerely,

#&trG~ Mel M.C. Cole

Full legal name: Melanie Marie Campili Cole Address: 1340 Berkeley Way, Apt. A, Berkeley, CA 94702 Phone Number: 510-506-2982

Cole

Mel M.C. Cole ·1340 Berkeley Way, Apt. A· Berkeley, CA 94702 · 510.506.2982 · [email protected] ·

Work Experience

Associate Attorney, Littler Mendelson, P.C., San Francisco, CA 2013-Present Represent wide range of local and nationwide clients, including public universities, corporations, and small, individual-owned businesses in employment-related matters.

Judicial Extern, Alameda County Superior Court, The Honorable Steven A. Brick, Oakland, CA Externed full time in the Complex Civil Litigation Department in a wide variety of legal subject matter.

Spring 2012

Legal Intern, U.S. Department of Labor, Regional Office of the Solicitor, San Francisco, CA Summer 2011 Wrote and prepared legal briefs and complaints, and shaped document and witness preparation for civil enforcement litigation.

Student, San Francisco City Attorney's Class on Impact Litigation, Berkeley, CA Investigated cases on behalf of the Deputy City Attorneys in their various suits.

Spring 2011

Volunteer, Centro Legal de La Raza Workers' Rights Clinic, Oakland, CA 2010-2013 Interviewed clients, identified possible legal issues, and collaborated with the attorneys to decide the best course of action.

Radio Presenter, Traduciendo Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina 2009 Researched international politics and local current events, formulated a position on each topic and then debated the issues with co-presenters in Spanish on a weekly radio program.

Tour Guide, Full-time, Buenos Tours, Buenos Aires, Argentina 2008-2010 Created and led private walking tours of the area, often tailoring the material to client interests.

English Teacher, Full-time, English First, Tangerang, Indonesia 2007 Planned and taught fifteen student classes, ranging in age from 5-year-olds to adults.

Substitute Teacher, Cabrillo Unified School District, Half Moon Bay, CA 2006-2007 Substitute taught grades K-12, including bi-lingual immersion classes, and often worked as an aide to children with severe learning disabilities.

Environment Volunteer, Full-time, United States Peace Corps, Morocco 2005-2006 Developed community projects and collected relevant data while living in a small, rural village with no electricity.

Teaching Assistant, University of California, Santa Cruz 2002-2003 Worked directly with Professors Bettina Aptheker and Conn Hallinan to run independent sections of their courses.

Naturalist and Park Aide, San Mateo County Parks & Recreation Department, Loma Mar, CA 2002-2004 Developed and coordinated educational campground activities for children and adults for three summers.

Education & Licenses

Admitted to the California State Bar, Member No. 293265 (December 2013)

University of California, Berkeley, School of Law (Boalt Hall), J.D., 2013 Awards: Prosser Prize in Written and Oral Advocacy (Legal Writing) Activities: Berkeley Law Trial Team, undefeated; La Raza Law Students Association, Member

University of California, Santa Cruz, B.A., Women's Studies, 2004 Graduated in three years with a 3.91 GPA Honors: Phi Beta Kappa; Highest Honors in the major; College Honors

Skills and Interests

Languages: Fluent and Native Spanish, conversational French and Berber, and traveler 's Arabic and Indonesian.

Enjoy climbing, skiing, running, console video games, and volunteering at Berkeley Animal Care Services.

ElgstrandFabish, Jennifer

From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: Attachments:

Dear Ms Fabish,

Stefan Elgstrand <[email protected]> Wednesday, February 22, 2017 8:47 AM Fabish, Jennifer Kelekian, Jay

Application for Rent Board Vacancy Rent Board Application - Elgstrand.docx.pdf

Attached you will find my application for the Rent Stabilization Board. Let me know if any further action is needed. I look forward to hearing back from the Board. Thank you.

1

ElgstrandStefan Elgstrand 2270 Shattuck Ave, Apt A Berkeley, CA 94704 510-502-7003 [email protected]

Dear Rent Board Commissioners,

February 22, 2017

I write this letter to inform you of my application to serve on the Rent Stabilization Board.

I moved to Berkeley five years ago, as a student at UC Berkeley, inspired and motivated by Berkeley's reputation as a progressive city. I remember the difficulty in finding an apartment that fit my budget, having to settle for a dreary room the size of a walk-in closet. Discovering that Berkeley was not as progressive as I had envisioned it to be, I got engaged in local government and activism, focusing on housing and tenant issues.

In June 2013, I began interning for Councilmember Kriss Worthington. By taking a leadership role in addressing citywide issues, I was hired by then Councilmember Jesse Arreguin to be a Legislative Aide soon after graduating. During my time as an aide in the Council, I worked on several policies to deal with the affordable housing crisis and to improve tenant rights, including proposals to increase the revenue of the Housing Trust Fund, a Tenant Buyout Policy, the Rental Housing Safety Program, a Tenant Protection Ordinance, and advocating to reform Costa-Hawkins among other policies. More recently, I was on the steering committee of the Yes on Ul campaign, which passed by an overwhelming margin despite major funding against the measure.

I currently serve as Secretary of the East Bay Young Democrats, where locally we have identified housing as one of our biggest priorities this year. I am also a member of the ASUC Housing Commission and have been working with student groups to promote the creation of more affordable student housing. I have also been heavily involved in the Berkeley Tenants Union, which has played a major role in advocating for pro-tenant policies at the City Council and Commissions. Kathy Harr was instrumental in rebuilding BTU, and I am honored to have followed in her footsteps by succeeding her as Secretary of that organization.

There was a time when I had to work multiple jobs, working seven days a week for several months straight just to be able to pay for rent and student loans. But I know I am one of the lucky ones. Every week at work I deal with emails and phone calls from people all across Berkeley who struggle every day to keep their housing. We can and must do more to address the increasing disparities in access to safe, affordable housing. We need to reverse the trends of gentrification in order to ensure that future generations are able to live in the city their relatives called home before them.

The Rent Board has not had representation from a Downtown tenant in years. As a resident of Downtown, I can provide that much needed perspective to the Board. I have committed myself to being a progressive activist in Berkeley. I would be humbled if you give me the opportunity to serve our community.

Sincerely,

Stefan Elgstrand

GilgFabish, Jennifer


Please see attached.

Thank you!

Mary Gilg

Mary Gilg <[email protected]> Tuesday, February 21, 2017 10:32 AM Fabish, Jennifer Rent Board Application Rent Board Application.pdf

1

Gilg

Name: Mary Alice Gilg Address: 3116 B Ellis Street, Berkeley 94703 Phone: 510-647-8116 510-364-5319

Please accept my application for the open position on the Rent Board. I have lived and been registered to vote in South Berkeley since October, 2006.

Although I am not a renter, I am in a position to know the problems that renters have in Berkeley and the greater Bay Area. When I moved to Oakland in 2003, the difficulty was in choosing where to rent - not finding a place we could afford. Through my work at the Homeless Action Center, I know that it is now nearly impossible for someone with a low income - even with a subsidy - to find housing in Berkeley. It is even difficult for my coworkers, who earn a moderate salary, to find rentals here. The soaring cost of rent puts Berkeley in danger of complete gentrification, and in danger of losing its unique and diverse character.

My husband and I were put in the position of being reluctant landlords when we were unable to sell our loft in West Oakland upon moving to Berkeley. That experience has made me aware of the problems facing owners and landlords as well. The cost of home ownership and maintenance is soaring, as well, and landlords need to cover their costs. When the market supports such extravagant rents, there must be incentives for landlords to participate in voucher programs, like Section 8 or Shelter Plus Care.

I am an attorney. I graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 1999, and began my career as a Federal Public Defender in San Diego. In 2003, I moved to Oakland, where I did contract work for criminal defense attorneys. In 2005, I began working at the Mental Health Advocacy Project in San Jose, and in 2007, I began work at Homeless Action Center, first as a staff attorney, then a managing attorney, and in May, 2016, as the Deputy Director. Last month I moved to HAC's new location in West Oakland to oversee our expansion.

I have also served on the Board of Directors for YEAH!, Berkeley's Youth Shelter and case management program, for several years as co-chair and now secretary of the Board. My tenure on the Board has coincided with a time of great transition for YEAH! - changes in staffing and structure, expansion of the shelter to year-round, and now merger with Covenant House California.

I have used both my career and my free time to serve our community. I would like to continue to serve as a member of the rent board, helping to ensure fair treatment of both tenants and landlords, and to have a hand in keeping the City of Berkeley as diverse, welcoming, and quirky as I have found it to be. There is nowhere I would rather live than Berkeley, and I am excited to use my experience and skills in service of my community.

HandwerkerFabish, Jennifer


Hello,

Lisa Handwerker < [email protected] >

Tuesday, February 21, 2017 1:16 PM

Fabish, Jennifer; lisa Handwerker; Kelekian, Jay Application for Rent Board Vacancy- please confirm receipt Rent Stabilization Board Vacancy Application-1.docx

Attached is my application letter (500 words or less) for the Vacancy position on the Rent Board. Please let me know if you need a signed copy. I appreciate if you confirm receipt. Thank you.

Lisa Handwerker, PhD, MPH

1

Handwerker

February 21, 2017

Re: The Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Application for Vacant Seat on the Rent Board

Dear Board Chair and Members,

My name is Lisa Handwerker and I have been a Berkeley resident since 1983. I completed a Master in Public Health from University of California (UC), Berkeley and a Doctorate in Medical Anthropology from UC, San Francisco and Berkeley. I have held several volunteer positions in Berkeley including: working as a medic at the Berkeley Free Clinic, serving on the City of Berkeley Community Health Commission as both Chair and Vice-Chair for seven years and currently, serving as a community member on the Alta Bates Ethics Committee.

As a parent of a middle schooler, I am also an active member in the Berkeley Unified School District; I served on the School Governance Committee in both elementary and middle school, chaired the English Language Learners Committee (I speak both Mandarin Chinese and Spanish) and currently, volunteer in the classroom once a week. I am a trained community conflict mediator through the non-profit Conciliatory Forum of Oakland (renamed SEEDS Community Resolution Center in Berkeley). I also recently participated in an Advanced Care Training advocacy workshop for the elderly. In addition, since 1999, I have been teaching as a lecturer at CSU East Bay in the Departments of Human Development and Women's Studies and Anthropology, Geography and Environmental Studies.

I am applying for and interested in serving on the Rent Board for several reasons: 1) I am committed and passionate about the health and well-being of all Berkeley citizens, especially those who are underserved and underrepresented; 2) I am committed and passionate about protecting the rights of tenants from unjustified rent increases and arbitrary discrimination (with respect to disability, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, single parenthood, economic or citizenship status) or retaliatory evictions; and 3) As a long-term tenant in a rent control apartment, with an ADA trained service ani_mal, golden retriever, I personally have benefited from the laws

Handwerker

that protect tenants from unwarranted rent increases and unreasonable discriminatory and retaliatory evictions. As such, I am committed and passionate to use my knowledge, skills and experiences, to help ensure legal compliance and to maintain the diversity of the Berkeley community. If you have any additional questions about my qualifications, please do not hesitate to ask. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Lisa Handwerker, PhD, MPH 2333 Prospect Street Berkeley, CA 94704 Email: [email protected] Phone: 510-387 -5170

Hunt

22, February 2017

Jen Fabish


2125 Milvia Street

Berkeley, CA 94704

RE: Commissioner Replacement

Dear Ms. Fabish:

w-t!a.tc....

REC EIVED

17 FEB 22 P4 :28

~ E N T P R 0 GR /', H

In response to the news release about serving out the term of former Rent Board Commissioner

Katherine Harr, I submit this letter to share my desire to be her replacement. I am a registered

Berkeley voter.

I wish to become a Rent Board Commissioner because I bring the perspectives and voices of older

adults, especially from West and South Berkeley where gentrification is affecting longtime

residents, individuals and families. I have experience working with homeless veterans, long term

mentally, low income families, persons with disabilities and emancipated youth seeking housing

stability. I have worked collaboratively with agencies that serve people facing housing crises -

namely the Eviction Defense Center and East Bay Community Law Center.

My experience developing sensible public policies recognize the impact on people's lives in

addition to the unintended consequences of reactive rather than thoughtful input from a variety

of community perspectives.

Enclosed is the detailed statement with my residence, contact information and background.

Please contact me should you need additional information.

HuntRECEI VED

17 FEB 22 P 4 :28

RENT Ptd.) GR f, H Judy J. Hunt

Commissioner Replacement Applicant Address: 1440 Eighth Street Contact: 510-524-9813 Berkeley, CA 94710 Email:[email protected]

As a registered voter in Berkeley, I am interested in serving as a replacement commissioner on the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board. The rent board needs balanced representation of tenants and landlords to honestly address issues simultaneously remain true to the rent ordinance. As a small property owner and former rent board commissioner, I understand how the agency and commission function.

My birthplace is the island community of Alameda, California and my family has roots in Berkeley, California over 60 years. For kindergarten and the first grade, I attended Franklin Elementary School, which is now the Berkeley Adult Education School campus. I earned my graduate degree in administration from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Having worked in hospitals, community and mental health organizations on local, national and international levels, I have executive management experience with boards, managing executive staff, large complex programs and budgets (including a $40M corpus). After working as a non-profit executive with international organizations in New York, and public health in New Jersey, I returned home to the Bay Area in 2002.

As a Head Start consultant in Cleveland, Ohio I worked to improve poor housing and environmental health conditions that impacted the health, education and well-being of children, youth, families and elders. As the Program Services Administrator with Head Start I managed programs with immigrant, low income and homeless families across the city and county of San Francisco. Collaborations with the San Francisco Board of Education addressed the needs of parents with infants and children with disabilities; and collaborations with the Housing Authority addressed the challenges/stressors individuals, families and elders faced when homeless or living in poor housing conditions.

While working at a community mental health center in Ohio, I managed a housing program for mentally ill adults and veterans; and senior adults requested my support of their advocacy efforts for housing options that preserved their dignity and independence. In New York I worked with older adults on national public policy issues related to health, housing and insufficient income.

My political involvement began in Ohio working with city, county and state officials on community issues and ballot measures. As a participant with the Alameda County Leadership Academy in 2004-2005, I learned about various opportunities for public service. Appointed by Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, I served as a Commissioner with the Alameda County Advisory Commission on Aging from 2006 to 2010. My community commitment also includes: work with neighbors, a poll worker with the Alameda County Registrar of Voters and as an advisor with the West Oakland Senior Center Advisory Board.

I articulate issues of older adult property owners and tenants, particularly in South and West Berkeley, where community changes are impacting housing stability for longtime residents, low income individuals and families. I bring a strong commitment to fairness, listening to others' perspectives, sensible public policies, and the ability to work with staff, commission colleagues and Berkeley residents with mutual respect.

Macaluso-HaupertFabish, Jennifer


Hi Jen,

Mary Macaluso <[email protected]> Wednesday, February 22, 2017 4:16 PM Fabish, Jennifer Application for Berkeley Rent Board Vacancy Mary MacalusoHaupert Resume_BRSB.docx; Mary MacalusoHaupert_Berkeley Rent Board Application.docx

Please accept my application for the vacancy on the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board. I have attached the requested 500 word letter describing my qualifications and interest in the position, as well as my full resume which includes additional details on my background.

I look forward to hearing from you on next steps in the selection process.

Many thanks, Mary Macaluso-Haupert

1

Macaluso-Haupert

February 22, 2017

Jay Kelekian Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board 2135 Milvia Street Berkeley, CA 94704

Mr. Kelekian,

Mary Macaluso Haupert 2130 Ashby Ave.# 5 Berkeley, CA 94705

[email protected] (415) 987-5029

Please accept my application for the vacant seat on the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board. I am applying because I feel that I am uniquely qualified to serve my community as a board member and help all citizens secure and preserve their fundamental human right to affordable housing. My experiences as a public policy planner, a Berkeley renter, and a landlord make me an excellent candidate.

I have been a Berkeley resident and renter in Berkeley for over 8 years and I am registered to vote in Berkeley. I have a significant understanding of Berkeley rental laws and regulations and have personally experienced the positive affects of the advocacy that the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board provides for Berkeley residents. In addition, I have served as a property manager for the Berkeley property in which I currently reside and I am a property owner/investor and landlord in Tennessee. These experiences allow me to see both tenant and landlord perspectives and needs.

Although I have never served on a community board or commission, I have extensive experience as a government administrator and have supported many community forums, commissions and boards behind the scenes. I have a deep understanding of how bureaucracy works and I have always been committed to government accountability, incremental policy development, and the creation of programs that support and better the community. In addition, I feel that I will be able to offer a fresh perspective to the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board, as I am able to represent the young working families within Berkeley as well as the disabled community.

I have a master's degree in Public Administration and have worked in local government throughout the Bay Area. I have worked vigorously to build a strong career in public administration and have developed skills in community outreach, partner engagement, program management, and policy development. I also have experience working with private partners, government leaders and executives to achieve community development in the public sector. I have become an engaged member of the Berkeley community through my personal and work relationships in the education and health care fields. I have established a reputation as a leader and an innovative visionary within Bay Area community partners and have demonstrated that policy and program development can be made through effective engagement strategies. My experience as an administrator and policy planner, in addition to my passion for community engagement, make me an excellent candidate for a position on the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board.

Obtaining this position would be the perfect continuation for my career as I recently have become very passionate about getting involved in my community and politics. I have spent many years as a healthcare and disability rights advocate and understand that housing security and rent stabilization significantly

Macaluso-Haupert

contributes to the improved quality of life for the disabled community. This position would allow me to apply my technical expertise to a variety of work areas that are deeply personal to me and that directly affect my Berkeley community.

Sincerely, Mary Macaluso-Haupert

Macaluso-Haupert

Mary Q. Macaluso-Haupert 2130 Ashby Ave, #5, Berkeley, CA 94705 • 415.987.5029 • [email protected]

OBJECTIVE To advance planning and engagement strategies among community housing and health partners

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Independent Consultant- January 2015- Present Employer: Mier Consulting Group, Inc. • Performs medical planning for Bay Area coalitions to identify and prioritize gaps and

strengths in capacity and capability; and to develop organizational solutions • Performs stakeholder outreach with Bay Area healthcare partners • Develops and conducts in-person and online assessments, gap analyses and summary

reports • Supports the development program planning and evaluation with Bay Area public

partners • Performs impact analyses and develops operational plans and with Bay Area public

partners

Continuity Planner -June 2014- May 2015 Employer: University of California, Berkeley - Office of Emergency Management • Responsible for working with faculty and staff from all sectors of the campus to

identify, analyze, prioritize, and promote solutions that will make daily functions more resilient

• Assists in the development, implementation, and monitoring of campus programs and policies

• Identifies, researches, and advocates for new or changing systems and programs • Assists in policy and program planning, development and administration • Provides consultative services to department administrators in the area of planning and

risk mitigation • Guides, instructs, motivates, assists, and facilitates planning activities for all

departments

Planning & Functional Support Director - Dec 2013- June 2014 Employer: American Red Cross - Gateway to Golden State Region • Responsible for leading, managing, and supporting a team of functional support

managers • Leads the development of planning tools, policies and procedures to achieve

supportive and consistent functional processes in carrying service provision throughout the Bay Area Region

• Facilitates stakeholder workgroups to design, develop and implement strategic planning goals for the Region

• Represents the organization in developing strategic partnerships with government, private and non-profit partners

Macaluso-Haupert

• Directs overall strategic goals and objectives for the Region • Provides technical expertise, training, and leads implementation of organizational

support functions and workforce priorities

Health Program Coordinator I - Feb 2010-Dec 2013 Employer: San Francisco Department of Public Health - Emergency Preparedness and Response Office • Responsible for leading Health Care and Community Outreach • Coordinated and facilitated health care facility stakeholder workgroups and planning • Facilitated seminars surrounding health hazards, mitigation strategies and planning • Responsible for grants administration, reporting, program development and fiscal

management • Developed plans, policies, procedures and operational tools • Oversaw and developed complex planning projects to build the community's

capabilities • Drafted memorandums of understanding, contracts and other legal agreements to

facilitate planning partnerships • Represented SFDPH in citywide, regional, state and federal meetings, events, and

other planning forums • Designed, coordinated, and facilitated monthly meetings, ongoing trainings and annual

events with local health partners and throughout the region and state

Public Service Aide - Oct 2008-Dec 2009 Employer: San Francisco Department of Public Health - Office of Policy and Planning • Coordinated and facilitated workgroups with Clinic and Long Term Care Facility

Providers • Developed and marketed training workshops for staff • Assisted in grants administration, fiscal management and contracting duties • Managed and developed communications and networking notification systems

Program Manager and Patient Advocate - May 2006-November 2015 Employer: Aplasticanemiatreatment.com • Developed website content and managed online health education and advocacy

program to raise awareness about a life-saving treatment for bone marrow failure diseases

• Advocated for patients with this illness by providing education and guidance on current disease and treatment information

• Encouraged funding support for treatment by writing letters of support to congress and non-profit organizations

EDUCATION San Francisco State University San Francisco, California Masters in Public Administration, Emphasis in Public Health December 2010

Texas Woman's University Bachelor of Science in Family Studies

Denton, Texas August 2007

McMullanFabish, Jennifer

From: Sent: To: Subject:

Dear Jen and Rent Board ,

Daniel McMullan <[email protected]>

Wednesday, February 22, 2017 1:12 PM Fabish, Jennifer Rent Board Seat

My name is Dan McMullan and I am seeking a seat on the Berkeley Rent Board. For over 30 years I have worked on Housing Issues in the City of Berkeley. In my years on the Human Welfare Commission my focus has been mostly on Housing and Housing for the Disabled and Elderly. Recently I my efforts have come to fruition with "Operation Move-Up" that was approved by the City, Housing and Urban Development and is being implemented for the first time this year. I designed this program to get movement in our SRO's in Berkeley. moving long time SRO tenants into Sec.8 voucher apartments making room for homeless people in the SRO's. I believe in getting the work done and making positive change for everyone in the city I love. I live with my wife Katy and our two high school age sons and we are very active in our community. It would be an honor to serve with this board and put myself at your service. Thank You for your consideration.

Dan

Daniel J. McMullan Ill Commissioner Human Welfare and Community Action Commission CITY OF BERKELEY,CALIFORNIA Director/Consultant/Advocate Disabled People Outside Project EAST BAY/SAN FRANCISCO, CA

(510)684 5866

1

Montauk

Honorable Chair & Commissioners Rent Stablization Board

2125 Milvia Street

Berkeley, CA 94704

FEBRUARY 23, 2017

DEAR HONORABLE CHAIR & MEMBERS OF THE RENT STABLIZATION BOARD,

Berkeley Rental Housing

Coalition

I am writing in regards to the Rent Board Commissioner candidates and the upcoming Special Meeting of February 2 7.

I have submitted two potential candidates. I did not present them to any Commissioner as I feel all of you can review them on an equal basis and make your decision accordingly.

I am reaching out to you to encourage you to consider the importance of choosing a candidate that is not like yourselves. As you probably know, other jurisdictions (such as Oakland) choose their commissioners based on a fair balance of representation between tenant, landlord and regular citizen. The Berkeley Rent Board currently does not have this kind of a split, nor a balanced representation of the constituents they serve. With the departure of Commissioner Harr, this is your opportunity to change that and show that you truly do serve both tenant and landlord.

One of the candidates I have presented is both tenant and works in the landlord business. I would think a candidate such as he would provide the additional perspective warranted to have a balanced board. Adding a landlord-specific Commissioner would not be a threat to your majority · vote, yet could bring a perspective representative of the demographic the Rent Board staff serves.

I will be at the meeting on February 27 to answer any questions you may have.

Sincerely,

~s+a. (. (JuJ)f,~

Krista C. Gulbransen Executive Director

Berkeley Rental Housing Coalition I 2041 Bancroft Way, Suite 203, Berkeley, CA 94 704 I 510.304.3575 I [email protected]

MontaukRent Board Commissioner Candidate

Name: Lance Montauk Address: 3033/3035 Bateman Street, 94705; at this address since 1971 Cell: 510-629 0462 Email: [email protected]

Candidate statement: I have been a landlord in Berkeley since 1971-1 rent outtwo houses, and a third property is our own residence. Our family also shares ownership of a 3-unit property in Berkeley.

In the 1970's, as a law student at Boa It, I was active in the Berkeley Tenant Organizing Committee movement, working with Barbara Dudley and Nick Rabkin. In 1974, working for Amnesty International, I was one of 30,000 squatters in London, as part of a large organized tenants' movement. I became intimately familiar with the problems renters experience during those years.

In the late 1970's and early 1980's, I lived in communist-governed Central Europe. There, I personally experienced what happens when housing is entirely controlled by government entities. Housing conditions were magnitudes worse than anything I had witnessed earlier, and did not improve until the government was replaced by one that was friendly to property owners. It took ~bout 20 years for that housing market to recover and eventually provide sufficiently for public needs.

From 2011 to 2013, I lived in Venezuela, and watched as excessive governmental control not only destroyed the housing market (which had previously benefited from government largess) but in fact an entire economy. That previously rich country now has hyperinflation, a stunning lack of basic goods (like fresh water in the hospitals for doctors to wash hands), and, sadly, lack of food. The population suffers widely from malnutrition.

Now, in Berkeley, as in most of the Bay Area, land use policies have collided with economic and technology changes to produce one ofthe more bizarre housing markets around the world. Berkeley's laws, and especially its Rent Ordinance, have created winners and losers on both the tenant and landlord sides of the equation. Unsurprisingly, on the landlord side, the biggest losers tend to be the smaller owners, those with few units, little recourse to lawyers, and not many alternatives. Larger owners simply game the system to the maximum extent possible. On the tenant side, winners tend not to be students, who are mostly transient in Berkeley, but rather those who extend their residences for decades, or eternity, trading social mobility and freedom of location for the windfall of rent-controlled units. Some tenant winners are financially and economically richer than loser landlords. Horror stories abound on both sides of the equation.

In the meantime, big developers cut deals with powerful politicians, and they all benefit, while smaller landlords continue to remove units from the market, via owner move-in, condo-creation, Airbnb, or whatever other mechanism they can find, because renting in Berkeley is for them, simply too onerous. Outlawing every act of self-interest by a landlord simply aggravates the problem, and will never improve things. The Rent Board needs at least one lonely voice in the wilderness, which can make these fundamental truths evident.

Signed: Lance Montauk, J.D., M.D.; Regional Medical Officer (Ret), Department of State

Presented for µince Montauk by: Krista Gulbransen, Executive Director, Berkeley Rental Housing Coalition, [email protected], 510-304-3575

NamkungFabish, Jennifer


Poki Namkung <[email protected]> Tuesday, February 21, 2017 10:45 PM

Fabish, Jennifer Kelekian, Jay Letter of application for Rent Stabilization Board

Rent Bd letter of application 2.21.17.docx

Attached is my letter of application. Please let me know if you receive it. Thanks.

Poki Namkung, MD, MPH

1

Namkung

Poki Namkung, M.D., M.P.H. 2923 Ashby Avenue Berkeley, CA 94705

Phone: (510) 363-6802 email: [email protected]

February 21, 2017

Dear Rent Board Stabilization Board Commissioners:

I am interested in becoming a Rent Board Stabilization Commissioner by being selected to fill the seat vacated by Katherine Harr. Katherine was a superb policy analyst and I believe that I also have that expertise to offer the board. I have worked in public service for the majority of my professional career as the Health Officer for the City of Berkeley for ten years and for the County of Santa Cruz for seven years. In those capacities I have managed health departments with over 600 employees, an annual budget of $29 million, and have been a public health leader at the local, state and national level. In a volunteer capacity, I have served on the Community Health Commission, the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Product Panel of Experts, and have chaired the Parks and Recreation Commission.

I am motivated by a passion for social justice and believe every person has the undeniable right to health, safe housing, good nutrition, and an environment that gives people opportunities to be fulfilled in life. I have lived in Berkeley for 34 years and have seen this jewel of a city evolve over the years. What concerns me most about the changes that I see happening is the growing loss of diversity that is fundamentally caused by the lack of affordable housing. I know that Berkeley has one of the strongest and most comprehensive rent control ordinances in California, if not the nation. · I believe that the Rent Stabilization Board has the essential responsibility to assure that this ordinance is fair and effective through oversight and establishing adequate funding for education, enforcement, quality staffing and administration, and assuring compliance with applicable state laws. In addition, the Rent Board Stabilization Board can develop policy that can safeguard the ordinance and strengthen it as it did in the November election with Measure AA as well as take a leadership role in policy that has the potential to increase affordable housing such as Measure Ul.

I have worked on complex and difficult social issues my entire career and have a reputation for keen analysis, building consensus, inspiring loyalty, and working hard. I would love to contribute to the betterment of Berkeley

Namkung

by applying my commitment and skills as a Commissioner of the Rent Stabilization Board. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Poki Namkung

Nix

Fabish, Jennifer


Dylan Miles Nix 2428 Milvia St. Apt. 1 Berkeley, CA 94704 Cell: 404.213.4022

[email protected] Friday, February 24, 2017 10:58 AM Fabish, Jennifer Rent Stabilization Board

I recently moved to California from Atlanta, GA. I moved here because my ex-wife moved here with my son, but I chose Berkeley as my home because I have wanted to live here since I was 15. Things like a rent board and the abundant political involvement of the community are exactly why I wanted to come here. I may be new to the area, but I am not new to the issues. I have worked extensively with the homeless community in Atlanta, was briefly a public defender, and worked to build and support a public interest law conference at the University of Georgia . Issues of quality of life and affordability of that life run to the core of who I am. Being an advocate is what I have been trained to do. I am currently a banker with Mutual of Omaha Bank representing Northern California Community Associations. I do not offer mortgages or anything of the sort. I work with HOAs to keep the members money secure, accessible, and profitable (in that order). The best part of my job is being able to provide associations loans to protect their members if an emergency expense arises and a special assessment might otherwise make keeping their home impossible. Often, after presenting to tense boards or even town hall association meetings, this allows me to help people stay in their homes despite rising costs.

Coming from Georgia I may bring a twang, but you will find my passions will fit right in. I am passionate for public interest and fairness, and I have dedicated much of my life towards pursuing those goals. This position seems like a perfect fit in that I can continue to fight for the fundamental fairness that lies at the core of the American promise. As someone who pays rent in Berkeley, these issues affect me as well. Balancing the dueling principles of fair access to housing and market value of property is a challenge I am eager to face.

I know that given consideration you will find that I am a willing and qualified candidate for this position, and one who is committed to working hard for a long time towards the above stated goals and fulfilling the mission of this Board. I look forward to meeting with you and discussing the position more in depth.

Thank you,

Dylan Nix I VP, Regional Account Executive I Northern California Tel 415.580.2029 I Toll Free 866.800.4656 X 7579 Corporate office: 4950 South 48th Street I Phoenix, AZ 85040 [email protected] I www.MutualofOmahaBank.com I www.CondoCerts.com

Mutual of Omaha Bank and CondoCerts are members of the Mutual of Omaha family of companies celebrating more than 100 years of outstanding service.

This e - mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and are solely for the use of the addressee . It may contain material that is legally privileged , proprietary or subject to copyright belonging to the sender and its affiliates , and it may be subject to protection under federal or state law . If you are not the intended recipient , you are

1

Nixnotified that any use of this material is strictly prohibited. If you received this transmission in error , please contact the sender immediately by replying to this e - mail and delete the material from your system . The sender may archive e - mails , which may be accessed by authorized persons and may be produced to other ~arties , including public authorities , in compliance with applicable laws .

2

O'KeefeFabish, Jennifer


Hello,

Shoshana O'Keefe <[email protected]> Wednesday, February 22, 2017 3:24 PM

Fabish, Jennifer Application for Vacant Position on Rent Stabilization Board O'Keefe - Rent Board Application.pdf

Attached is my application for the vacant position on the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board. Many thanks to all who take the time to read it.

Sincerely, Shoshana

1

O'Keefe

Dear Members of the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board,

I am writing in application to the vacant position on the Board, and I respectfully request that

you consider me as a suitable substitute for the truly irreplaceable Kathy Harr. In this letter I will outline my consistent history and varied experience in community service, with the hope

you will find that I'm an excellent choice to effectively execute the duties of Rent Board

Commissioner.

As a Berkeley native, my devotion to the well-being of this city is at the core of my identity. I attended Berkeley schools and graduated from Berkeley High School. After being homesick for

four years of college out of state, I returned to my beloved community and have felt compelled

to devot e myself to benefitting and improving our city ever since.

I am a licensed attorney and have experience as an immigration lawyer working with asylum seekers and have defended many in deportation proceedings. In 2007, I left law practice to

work on the Obama campaign in Nevada.

In 2009, I decided to focus my community involvement locally. Desiring to help shape the

growth of our city, I applied for a position on the Zoning Adjustments Board, and was appointed by the Honorable Max Anderson. Over the next three years, I helped the Board adjudicate

project applications ranging from disputes between neighbors over fence heights all the way up

to larger projects such as Harold Way. While serving, I gained expertise in our zoning codes and

city procedures. We frequently hear cases involving issues of affordable housing and

threatened destruction of rent controlled housing stock. Through my work on ZAB, I've learned

much about the legal issues surrounding rent and affordability, and I'm proud of my strong track record of defending affordable housing whenever the issue has come up. I am still serving

on the ZAB, now appointed by Councilwoman Hahn.

I also serve as Vice Chair of the Children, Youth and Recreation Commission, and I currently

work as a math teacher at Albany High School. I have two children at Malcolm X Elementary.

Service on the Rent Board is the next logical step in my mission to better our city. Growing up, I

understood this city to be diverse, welcoming, and providing equal opportunity for anyone to

succeed and thrive. Our current housing affordability crisis -the defining issue of our time

threatens that fundamental character and equilibrium of our city. The best antidote to the current tension is a fair, transparent and consistent application of our tenant laws. I believe I

have the right experience to further this goal. As a Rent Board Commissioner, I would help craft

and refine rental policy, and bring my civic and legal experience to apply the law fairly and

uniformly to individual disputes.

I would be deeply honored to be chosen to fulfill the vacant position on the Board. Thank you

for your time in reading my application.

Shoshana O'Keefe 1320 Spruce St., Berkeley CA 94709 (510) 701 7231

OmodeleFabish, Jennifer


February 17, 2017

Dear Ms. Jen Fabish,

Remi Omodele <[email protected]> Friday, February 17, 2017 11:52 PM

Fabish, Jennifer Application for The Berkeley Rent Board Vacant Seat

I have been a Berkeley resident since the 1980s. I am passionate about finding ways to make housing both available and affordable for all Berkeley residents. I also believe that my experience both as a tenant, property owner and landlord will help me to serve in a fair-minded manner.

Thank you for your kind consideration.

Sincerely, Remi Omodele 911 Mendocino Ave, Berkeley, Ca, 94707-1924 5105279172

1

OviedoFabish, Jennifer


Dear Commissioners,

Daniel Oviedo <[email protected]>

Wednesday, February 22, 2017 12:37 PM Fabish, Jennifer Rent Board Vacancy City of Berkeley/Daniel Oviedo's Application

I am writing to apply for the vacant seat on the Berkeley rent stabilization board. As an immigrant, a Berkeley resident and renter, I feel compelled to take this responsibility and advocate for affordable housing, rent control, increased outreach to tenants and landlords, protect tenants from unwarranted rent increases, discriminatory or retaliatory evictions and help maintain the diversity and vibrancy for which Berkeley is known for. I am passionate about this mission because I am a strong believer in the idea that housing is a basic human right, and I have witnessed the alarming effect the housing crisis has had on working families, the elderly and students, including displacement, eviction, homelessness and a steep decline in quality of life. I graduated from UC Davis with a degree in political science. I wish to apply what I learned and become a positive influence in the community. I am determined to work relentlessly to promote affordable housing, keep tenants in their homes and mediate landlord-tenant issues. I vow to be accessible to constituents to schedule meetings and phone calls and respond to emails, texts and ensure their concerns are noted and resolved. In addition, I am fluent in Spanish, which will allow me to assist and reach out to Spanish speaking Berkeley tenants and property owners. Now is the time to be part of the solution and do our best to ameliorate the situation in the city we love and call home. I am ready to be part of this board and to give back to the community. I would be honored to serve the remainder of the two year term to the best of my abilities.

Best regards, Daniel Steven Oviedo Matus 2906 Martin Luther King,Jr. Way, Apt C Berkeley, CA 94703 [email protected] (925) 848-6846

1

Poblet

Fabish, Jennifer


Maria Poblet < [email protected] >

Thursday, February 16, 2017 3:11 PM

Fabish, Jennifer Application for Vacant Rent Board Seat

Attachments: MariaPoblet Interim Berkeley Rent Board Commissioner Interest Letter.docx


125 Milvia Street

Berkeley, CA 94704

Attn: Jen Fabish

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to express my interest in the vacant set on the Rent Stabilization Board.

1706 9th Street

Berkeley CA 94 710

I am a Latina of Chicana & Argentine descent, and have lived and voted in Berkeley's District 1 for approximately 10 years, at the 9th Street Cooperative Land Trust. I serve as Executive Director of Causa Justa:: Just Cause.

My housing work began in 1999 in the mission district of SF, as a case counselor at St. Peter's Housing Committee, providing know-your-right education and support to Latino tenants facing evictions, rent increase, harassment, and discrimination in what was becoming a tech boomtown. Having recently left the mission myself after being discriminated against, and not having had knowledge of the rights that would have prevented my displacement, I found great fulfillment in helping others learn and exercise their rights. Over the next decade, I was part of a powerful team that built a community organizing and leadership development program, linked tenants' rights to planning and land use issues and electoral campaigns, and built powerful coalitions and alliances across issues, neighborhoods, and communities.

1

Poblet

In 2010 I led the merger of St. Peter's Housing Committee's with Just Cause Oakland, brining together work in the Latino community in SF with Black organizing in Oakland to create Causa Justa:: Justa Cause, a multiracial, regional grassroots organizing powerhouse. We built Oakland's first tenant rights counseling program, and dozens of campaigns and coalitions that have dramatically expanded tenant protections in Oakland over the last 7 years.

I am committed to tenant rights and housing work from a social movement perspective. I believe the laws that govern housing are snapshot of the balance of power in our society. Wherever there are legal defenses to keep people in their homes, improve the conditions they live in, and preserve affordability, it is because movements have created the political will for such protections to exist. Institutions like the Rent Board, which preserve and enforce these protections, are a crucial aspect of our democracy, because they ensure that tenant rights aren't reduced to a slogan at during an election season, but are a lived reality for everyday people. I am also excited to know that the Berkeley Rent Board, which is so functional and forward thinking, has proactively taken a regional perspective on the issues it works on.

I believe my experience and perspective would be an attribute to the Berkeley Rent Board, and I am excited for the opportunity to contribute to housing stabilization in my hometown.

Thank you for your consideration.

In Solidarity,

Maria Poblet

2

Poblet

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board 125 Milvia Street Berkeley, CA 94704

Attn: Jen Fabish

To Whom It May Concern:

1706 9th Street Berkeley CA 94710

I am writing to express my interest in the vacant set on the Rent Stabilization Board.

I am a Latina of Chicana & Argentine descent, and have lived and Voted in Berkeley's District 1 for approximately 10 years, at the 9th Street Cooperative Land Trust. I am Executive Director of Causa Justa :: Just Cause.

My housing work began in 1999 in the mission district of SF, as a case counselor at St. Peter's Housing Committee, providing know-your-right education and support to Latino tenants facing evictions, rent increase, harassment, and discrimination in what was becoming a tech boomtown. Having recently left the mission myself after being discriminated against, and not having had knowledge of the rights that would have prevented my displacement, I found great fulfillment in helping others learn and exercise their rights. Over the next decade, I was part of a powerful team that built a community organizing and leadership development program, linked tenants' rights to planning and land use issues and electoral campaigns, and built powerful coalitions and alliances across issues, neighborhoods, and communities.

In 2010 I led the merger of St. Peter's Housing Committee's with Just Cause Oakland, brining together work in the Latino community in SF with Black organizing in Oakland to create Causa Justa:: Justa Cause, a multi-racial, regional grassroots organizing powerhouse. We built Oakland's first tenant rights counseling program, and dozens of campaigns and coalitions that have dramatically expanded tenant protections in Oakland over the last 7 years.

I am committed to tenant rights and housing work from a social movement perspective. I believe the laws that govern housing are snapshot of the balance of power in our society. Wherever there are legal defenses to keep people in their homes, improve the conditions they live in, and preserve affordability, it is because movements have created the political will for such protections to exist. Institutions like the Rent Board, which preserve and enforce these protections, are a crucial aspect of our democracy, because they ensure that tenant rights aren't reduced to a slogan at during an election season, but are a lived reality for everyday people. I am also excited to know that the Berkeley Rent Board, which is so functional and forward thinking, has proactively taken a regional perspective on the issues it works on.

Poblet

I believe my experience and perspective would be an attribute to the Berkeley Rent Board, and I am excited for the opportunity to contribute to housing stabilization in my hometown.

Thank you for your consideration.

In Solidarity, Marfa Poblet

SchwartzFabish, Jennifer


Attachments:

Ms. Fabish,

C schwartz <[email protected]>

Wednesday, February 22, 2017 12:30 AM Fabish, Jennifer

Application for Successor Interim Rent Stabilization Board Vacancy by Schwartz, Christine Sorrow BRSB Succ Interim Vacancy App, SCHWARTZ, Christine Sorrow.pdf

I phoned yesterday. Attached for your review is the above. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you for your time.

Respectfu I ly,

Christine Schwartz (510) 717-0463

1

Schwartz

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Attn: Jen Fabish 2125 Milvia Street Berkeley, CA 94704

Christine Sorrow Schwartz 2437 Piedmont Avenue #305

Berkeley, CA 94704 (510) 717-0463

[email protected]

February 22, 2017

re: Application for Successor Interim Rent Stabilization Board Vacancy

Dear Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board members,

My name is Christine Sorrow Schwartz. I have been a resident of Berkeley since 1991 and a tenant of the same rent-controlled apartment since 1995. I am a graduate ofU.C. Berkeley, with a B.A. in Sociology. I come from an amazing family whose powers of wisdom, strength and endurance nourished and sustained me throughout my life. In southern California, I learned firsthand from watching my mother (an immigrant from Ecuador, widowed with six children after our father died when I was four), deal with the tragedies of homelessness, and the imbalance of power that exists between landlord and tenants. This is where my advocating began.

Just before my education at Berkeley, my twin-sister (with mild disability), significantly declined in function after being bullied in school and surviving a brutal rape at age 18. At age 25, I became her caregiver and conservator and have maintained this privilege and these responsibilities since.

I have become acquainted with the positive and negative aspects of how the legal system treats renters through lawsuits; I won the most recent one, filed by my landlord ( one of the biggest) in attempt to bully and force me to give up my rent-controlled apartment, a new trend in civil court. I have petitioned the rent board with affinnative results and triumphed in small claims.

Through these tribulations, I acquired substantial knowledge of the difficulties that tenants sometimes experience. I see a real need for rules which serve as a check and balance of power. This same power that we did not have while growing up. Over time I have developed a deep understanding and respect for the Berkeley rent control ordinance because of my own situation, through assisting my neighbors and through helping others as a volunteer in many community groups. The rent board serves a vital function to ensure that all parties follow the rules in accordance with the laws. My experiences have left me with personal understanding of rent board laws, process and procedures as well as eviction lawsuits and small claims issues.

Schwartz

Letter to Jenn Fabish re: Schwartz, Christine Sorrow BRSB Sue. Interim Vac. App February 21 , 2017 Page 2:2

I have served as an advocate on behalf of seniors, families , individuals with disabilities, students, low-income, minorities, and homeless. My passions to help others runs so deep that I currently serve on the Commission on Disability; as Interim Housing Advisory Commissioner; Berkeley Tenants Union steering; supporting elected leaders and candidates who understand those who need help in our city, additionally, I participate on Alameda County Council on Disabilities, and actively supported measures Ul , AA, Y, Mand now, the TPO.

My goals are to continue the outstanding work done by the rent board in making Berkeley a community that is safe, diverse, and a compassionate place to live. I do not have a political agenda. I do, however, have a lifelong set of experiences leading to a depth of compassion for a wide variety of people who have tenant landlord conflicts, and who seek fair resolution to their problems. Thank you in advance for reviewing and considering my application.

Christine Sorrow Schwartz

Wollman

Honorable Chair & Commissioners Rent Stablization Board

Berkeley 2125 Milvia Street

Rental Housing

. ·:_Coalition Berkeley, CA 94 704

FEBRUARY 23, 2017

DEAR HONORABLE CHAIR & MEMBERS OF THE RENT STABLIZATION BOARD,

I am writing in regards to the Rent Board Commissioner candidates and the upcoming Special Meeting of February 27.

I have submitted two potential candidates. I did not present them to any Commissioner as I feel all of you can review them on an equal basis and make your decision accordingly.

I am reaching out to you to encourage you to consider the importance of choosing a candidate that is not like yourselves. As you probably know, other jurisdictions (such as Oakland) choose their commissioners based on a fair balance of representation between tenant, landlord and regular citizen. The Berkeley Rent Board currently does not have this kind of a split, nor a balanced representation of the constituents they serve. With the departure of Commissioner Harr, this is your opportunity to change that and show that you truly do serve both tenant and landlord.

One of the candidates I have presented is both tenant and works in the landlord business. I would think a candidate such as he would provide the additional perspective warranted to have a balanced board. Adding a landlord-specific Commissioner would not be a threat to your majority .

. vote, yet could bring a perspective representative of the demographic the Rent Board staff serves.

I will be at the meeting on February 2 7 to answer any questions you may have.

Sincerely, bJs-/-a_ (. {Jw)fl~

Krista C. Gulbransen Executive Director

Berkeley Rental Housing Coalition I 2041 Bancroft Way, Suite 203, Berkeley, CA 94704 I 51 0.304.3575 I [email protected]

Wollman

Rent Board Commissioner Candidate

Name: Nate Wollman Address: 941 Spruce Street, Berkeley, CA 94707 Cell: 510-334-2066 Email: [email protected]

Candidate statement: I am a tenant as well as a property manager in the City of Berkeley. Sitting on both sides of the table makes my perspective both unique and sympathetic to those must find and sustain housing with the prices and demand here in the Bay Area . I pride myself on building relationships that take both sides of the coin into perspective and coming to mutually-beneficial agreements.

Our housing challenges are very real and must be taken seriously. I know that very often people will operate under a broad range of emotionally charged ideals because they feel a fundamental part of their life (housing) is under threat. I know that I can recognize and honor those emotions while remaining true to the task at hand - finding solutions that make a difference for renters and rental housing providers.

I have a passion for the following:

• To advocate for both tenants and property owners

• To help families and students maintain quality housing in Berkeley

• To represent tenants and landlords with fair consideration for both parties • To establish transparent and understandable policies

• To work towards less politics and more real-world solutions

I believe I am most qualified for this position because I am already up to speed on the Rent Stabilization Ordinance and Just Cause for Eviction protections. To understand and know the nuances of Berkeley regulations is critical to the ability to serve the people. And as a Commissioner, this knowledge will allow me to step in mid-stream and help contribute to the work immediately. I bring practical, real world experience that is hands-on and well developed. I love Berkeley and my community and I honor and value what makes this so unique and a great place to live. I want others to be able to experience what I experience in Berkeley and I know as a Rent Board Commissioner, I will have the opportunity to do that.

I know that my experience as an Extended Opportunities Program & Services Student Counselor at Berkeley City College will also help me to bring an important student aspect to the Commission. At a time when the lack of housing in a city filled with students only puts further demand on our rental housing, it's important to understand that population's needs.

To be a fair and balanced Commission as a whole, the Rent Board needs someone who can help translate the business of housing. Without this, the Commission operates from a one-sided perspective - something we all rail against when it comes to our current national administration. I truly believe at the end of the day we all want what's best for our beloved city and we must come together, hear one another and be willing to compromise to a beneficial solution. I would be honored to be that partner to my fellow Commissioners if selected.

Signed: Nate Wollman, Property Manager & Tenant

Presented for Nate Wollman by: Krista Gulbransen, Executive Director, Berkeley Rental Housing Coalition, kri sta @bpoa.org, 510-304-3575

Item 4.a.(2)

The following applications were submitted after

5:00 p.m. on February 22, 2017, but before 4:00

p.m. on February 27, 2017. Thus, they were not

included in the meeting agenda packet, but were

distributed to the Board at the February 27,

2017 Special Meeting.

Rent Stabilization Board Office of the Executive Director


TO: Honorable Members of the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board

FROM: John Selawsky, Chairperson Jay Kelekian, Executive Director

SUBJECT: Applications from Candidates to Replace Outgoing Commissioner Harr Received After the Deadline for Inclusion in the Agenda Packet

On Tuesday, February 7, 2017, the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board announced that it would begin accepting applications from qualified Berkeley residents to fill the vacancy left by outgoing Commissioner Katherine Harr on an interim basis (through November 30, 2018). To apply, candidates were asked to submit a letter of 500 or fewer words detailing their background and why they wished to serve on the Board. All applications must include the candidate's full legal name, current living address (post office boxes will not be accepted), as well as telephone and other contact numbers.

Attached hereto are applications received by staff after the cutoff for inclusion in the Board agenda packet for the February 27th Special Meeting, but before the final submission deadline of 4:00 p.m. on February 27th• The applicants are:

22. Tim Kingston 23. Marcia Levenson 24. Alfred Twu* 25. Eleanor Walden

*Mr. Twu submitted his application prior to the cutoff for inclusion in the agenda packet, but due to a network error it was not received in staffs' inboxes until after the agenda was produced and disseminated.

Attachment: Packet of all application materials received by Rent Stabilization Program staff after the cutoff to be included in the agenda packet, but before the final submission deadline.

2125 Milvia Street, Berkeley, California 94704 TEL: (510) 981-7368 (981-RENT) • TDD: (510) 981-6903 • FAX: (510) 981-4940 E-MAIL: [email protected] • INTERNET: www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/

KingstonFabish, Jennifer


Dear Jay,

Tim Kingston <[email protected]> Monday, February 27, 2017 3:26 PM Fabish, Jennifer Application for position on the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Timothy Mark Kingston.doc; Resume Rent Board.doc

Enclosed is my application for the position on the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board that is being vacated by Kathy Harr. I also enclose a resume for the position if that helps. In addition I hope to attend the meeting tonight could you tell me where it is?

thanks,

Tim Kingston land 510 666 9114

[email protected]

1

Kingston

To whom it may concern,

Timothy Mark Kingston 3040 Fulton Street, Apt. B

Berkeley CA 94705 510 666-9114

I would like to present myself as a candidate for the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board. I believe that I can be an advocate for tenants as well as a fair arbiter of landlord/tenant disputes, while also having a background in activism and public policy analyses that could prove useful. I believe it is time that I return some of the benefits I have accrued from being a tenant in Berkeley by offering my services to the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board.

As a member of the Rent Stabilization Board, if selected, I could bring to bear my experiences as a student renter, an employed Berkeley resident, a full time investigator and someone familiar with contested disputes between renters and landlords. As a tenant I have had a variety of landlords, good and bad. I have also lived in a variety of living situations with other tenants some charming, others less so.

I have lived in Berkeley, San Francisco and Oakland since arriving in Berkeley to attend UCB in 1980. Of the three cities, Berkeley has by far the best legislation covering tenant landlord issues-having got in under the wire before Costa-Hawkins came into effect. While living in San Francisco I covered rent control issues as a reporter for a variety of papers including the Bay Guardian, SF Frontiers, and SF Bay Times. This versed me in the public policy arena affecting housing stock and in-the-trenches political battles over evictions, the Ellis Act, TICs and tenant pushback during the first dotcom bubble.

As a result of a TIC I had to move to Oakland from San Francisco. In Oakland I witnessed the same type of gentrification San Francisco suffered, with rising rents and evictions forcing out many long term residents. Then I moved back to Berkeley where I saw the Bay Area suffer an out of control real estate market fueled by greed and a shortage of housing that has devastated many communities.

I firmly believe housing is a human right, and am convinced of the need for effective legislation of the kind Berkeley possesses, to govern landlord/tenant relationships, as well as to protect the rights of tenants. While it is clear that I would be an advocate of tenants, I am well aware how well and badly people on both side of any dispute can behave, and how important it is for there to be a neutral rule-governed forum for dispute resolution. I believe I could serve in such a capacity.

In my current employment as an investigator I see both sides of legal cases and am required to understand both sides of such cases, so I can offer strategic information to attorneys I work with. As a defense investigator I understand that even ifl don't like a rule, or it seems unfair, it still governs how the rule is to be enforced. I would not walk into any situation with a predetermined view of the end result. I would use the law, my judgment and the information available to make any decision.

These are the reasons I could be a useful member of Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board and I hope you will consider my application.

Tim Kingston

Kingston

TIM KINGSTON Investigator: San Francisco Public Defender

555 7th St. SF CA 94103

Land: 510 666-9114 [email protected]

Qualifications

3040 Fulton St. Ste. B Berkeley, CA 94705

• Over six years of experience as an investigator with the San Francisco Public Defender's office handling a wide variety of criminal defense cases ranging from vandalism to first degree homicide.

• Dogged persistence. • Strong observational, interviewing, writing, editing, analytic and research

abilities. • Over twenty years of experience as an investigative and general assignment

reporter in San Francisco and the Bay Area.

Experience: Investigative

San Francisco Public Defender: 2010-present Investigates criminal defense cases. Locate witnesses and conduct in-person and telephone interviews. Provide written and oral investigative reports on those interviews. Collect and evaluate physical and testimonial evidence including photographs, video surveillance and measurements of relevant sites.

McGarrahan Investigative Group LLC: 2009-2010 Conducted court records, database, and other ~dministrative searches. Provided investigative reports, assessments, and other information as required.

Mosbrucker & Foran; Tenant Right's Attorneys: 2008-2010 Did surveillance, property owner database searches and interviewed tenants and landlords about disputed rental units in Bay Area. Provided reports, character assessments and other information as required.

Experience: Investigative Journalism

Freelance: 1995-2010 Covered local and national politics, criminal justice, health, HIV/ AIDS and civil rights issues in Bay Area for local, national and online publications. Published in the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, Columbia Journalism Review, The Nation, AlterNet, Common Ground, Edible East Bay, East Bay Express, East Bay Monthly, SF Bay Guardian and others.

San Francisco Frontiers News Editor, 1998-2002, Investigative Reporter, 1996-2002

Kingston

Assigned, edited and wrote local, national and international stories for magazine serving the Bay Area's LGBTQ communities. Covered local politics, culture, civil rights, criminal justice and health issues and all things LBGTQ.

San Francisco Bay Times Investigative Reporter, 1986-1995 Staff writer: covered local and national politics, including health and criminal justice; investigated HIV/ AIDS drug pricing and access issues, police misconduct and abuse, and anti-gay violence.

Education BA with honors, University of California, Berkeley, 1984. Educated in Los Angeles, Beirut, and London. Extensive worldwide travel. Awards, articles and other citations available on request.

LevensonRECEfVED

17 FEB 27 P 3 : I 9 ~"/tf1.

IIIFINT PR 0 G R ;\ H

Jay Kelekian, Executive Director Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board 2125 Milvia St. Berkeley, CA 94704

attn: Jen Fabish

Marcia Levenson 2507 Stuart Street Berkeley, CA 94705 tel: (510) 649-7482

February 27, 2017

Dear Mr. Kelekian and Honorable Members of the Rent Stabilization Board:

I write to request your nomination for the interim vacancy. I have the background and qualifications to hit the ground running, complement the strengths of the current board and ensure smooth transition toward re-election of an activist board in 2018. I am a Berkeley resident and registered voter.

I first came to Berkeley in 1986 for graduate school. Stable rents and eviction protections were crucial to my education. I believe all Berkeley tenants should have access to the rights I have had. I will be vigilant in overseeing implementation of Berkeley's well-established Rent Stabilization Program. I am committed to def ending vulnerable tenants from unwarranted rent increases and displacement, including artists, students, racial and ethnic minorities, seniors, disabled, students, working families, LGBTQ, immigrant and formerly incarcerated folks: the beloved community.

I have attended Rent Board meetings since 2004, when I helped pass Measure P protections for Section 8 tenants. In 2006, I worked with Rent Board staff and boardmembers to strengthen tenant protections to the · Condominium Conversion Ordinance. As Housing Advisory Commissioner from 2008-2012 I advocated to City Council for crucial amendments to the Relocation Ordinance and enforcement of the Rental Housing Safety Program. I served as Community Health Commissioner from 1997-2005 and understand the public health aspects of rental housing and the affordable housing crisis.

I look forward to this opportunity to advance social justice, community stability and environmental sustainability in Berkeley.

1)/la~r; ~ 'v----Marcia Levenson

Twu

Fabish, Jennifer


Hi Jen,

[email protected] on behalf of Alfred <[email protected]> Tuesday, February 21, 2017 11:39 AM Fabish, Jennifer

Application for Rent Board Commissioner

I am writing to apply for the vacant Rent Board seat. Here is my application.

Thanks, Alfred

Alfred Twu 2415 Prospect Street / 14 Hillside Court Berkeley, CA 94704 732.850.l O 13 [email protected]

My goals: Protect the Present and Prepare for the Future

I believe that strong tenant protections are an essential part of housing policy. Rent control and other protections provide tenants the security and peace of mind to plan and live their lives. It also encourages tenants to participate in their communities, knowing that they'll be able to enjoy the rewards of the contributions they make to improve the city. As a Rent Board Commissioner, I'll continue the work the Board does to protect Berkeley's current tenants.

I'll also lay the groundwork for future tenants. As more cities adopt rent control, the political will to repeal Costa-Hawkins is building. It's time to bring back vacancy control and provide a pathway for newer buildings to age into rent controlled status. Finally, while rent control will always be a key part of affordability, in a growing region, more homes are needed, especially low cost types such as boardinghouses and accessory units. I'll do my part to craft policies that encourage investment in moderate income housing while expanding rent control, such as the adding of kitchens, bedrooms or units to single family houses so that they can become rent controlled boardinghouses or duplexes.

What I'll bring to the Rent Board: Technical knowledge and group living experience.

I have over a decade of experience designing apartment buildings in the Bay Area, and am familiar with the technical details of building, planning, accessibility, habitability, and housing codes. I can read and draw floor plans. I've lived in the Berkeley Student Cooperative co-ops and continue to be involved with the co-ops, and other informal group living communities. As these types of households become more common, our Rent Ordinance should evolve to offer stronger protections for subtenants, house cars, encampments, groups living in detached houses, Accessory Dwelling Unit tenants, and other non-conventional households.

1

TwuI've rented in Berkeley since 2002. Over the years, I've assisted many friends with housing issues, including referrals to the rent board. Additionally, I have been active in local politics for many years and am currently the chair of the Zero Waste Commission.

Thank you for your consideration,

Alfred

2

Walden

Fabish, Jennifer


Dear Jen,

Eleanore Walden <eleanorewalden3@gmaiLcom> Monday, February 27, 2017 1:37 PM Fabish, Jennifer Eleanor Walden Application for interim seat on Rent Board 2.27.17Rent Board interim app.docx

I am attaching my statement of application for the interim seat on the Rent Board as a Word document. I have kept the wording to just over 500 words and it is all on one page.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to know of this possibility and I look forward to hearing from the committee.

Best, Eleanor Walden

1

Walden

Eleanor Walden 2951 Derby St. # 140 Berkeley, CA 95705 510-848-63 97 [email protected]

February 27, 2016

Background and interest in Rent Board: I have worked on housing issues as an advocate for affordable a1'd subsidized housing for many years. I was appointed to the Rent Board in 2002 to serve out a term and was elected for one term in 2004-2008. Since then I have served as the Cochair of the Residents' Council at Redwood Gardens, a HUD facility for elder and disabled people. Last year I was elected to the Board of the National Alliance of HUD Tenants, NAHT. I also serve as housing chair of the Berkeley/East Bay Gray Panthers. I am a source for numerous articles on local housing published in Berkeley Planet, East Bay Express, Berkeleyside, Indy Voice, San Jose Mercury, some of which have been cited in national newspapers.

My role in Redwood Gardens has been to work with tenants, owners and staff to facilitate greater visibility of management policies and to advocate for the tights of tenants. In this particular HUD facility there are five interests other than the tenants to be considered: Redwood Gardens is situated in the City of Berkeley on University of California property, the building is owned by CSI, and, until recently, was managed by John Stewart Corp, and is under the contract to HUD, Federal Housing and Urban Development Department. As a Chair person on the tenant Council I had to keep in mind the concerns of all parties involved with my principal allegiance to the tenants. This !S similar to the responsibility that Rent Board Commissioners face when called upon to treat landlords with the same fairness as tenants.

Since I previously served only one of the two allowed terms on the Rent Board I would like to apply to serve for this interim position. I am familiar with the crisis of housing in the nation, the Bay Area, and Berkeley in particular.

Commitment to Rent Board principals: Without the Rent Board tenants are helpless against the greater power of the money and political connections of the landlord class.

I support affordable, middle, and low-income, rental housing being required in all new structures and that principal be implemented with the greatest diligence in all areas of the city.

The Rent Board is one of the few resources for fair housing that is still in place. To the goal of serving renters, addressing the issues of homelessness, preserving available housing, and promoting new affordable housing, the Rent Board must expand its influence and increase its affirmation of tenants. Exactly what those issues are and the ways in which an active pro-tenant Rent Board can support them should be the backbone of a discussion of upcoming campaigns.

I am in favor of measures that would aim to expose the reality of the current rent gouging, to support the goals of preserving the rent controlled housing stock for the benefit of a mixed income population, and to promote, by every means necessary, private development to provide moderate and middle, and low income housing.

Available time and flexibility: I am disabled and use a motorized wheelchair that I transport by bus, cab, or Paratransit. I see myself as a representative of disabled, aging, and low-income tenants, and I would like to continue to use my organizing experience and interest in housing where they are most needed and most effective. I am retired from active employment and meeting times day or evenings are not a problem.

Documents

RENT STABILIZATION BOARD Special Meeting AGENDA