Committee schedules landlord and tenant workshops; anti-harassment regulations and appeals slated for next meeting

Staff announced several upcoming outreach and assistance events and previewed items expected on future Rental Housing Committee agendas. The announcement covered weekly virtual office hours, landlord and tenant workshops in October, ongoing help-center hours and an upcoming committee retreat.

The committee was told the office will hold virtual office hours every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon. Staff said two workshops are scheduled for Oct. 7: an afternoon session specifically for landlords (a presentation from CSA about rent-assistance processes) and an evening tenant-focused session also featuring CSA. Staff said an Oct. 14 tenant workshop at 6:30 p.m. will continue outreach on utility-adjustment petitions, explaining how utility-related rent adjustments are calculated and presented to tenants.

Help-center schedules were described: a landlord help center will continue weekly on Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., both in person and virtually; a tenant help center will meet the first and third Thursday of each month from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., both in person and on Zoom, with community partners including CSA, Project Sentinel (mediation), Cluspa and legal-resource providers in attendance.

Staff also listed expected agenda items for the next meeting: an appeal and proposed anti-harassment and anti-retaliation regulations. A staff member reminded committee members of a special retreat on Oct. 4 at Michael's restaurant from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a formal agenda to be distributed the Friday before the retreat. The committee's next regular meeting was announced for Oct. 23 at 6 p.m.

No formal motions or votes were taken on the announcements; staff invited committee questions and there were no requests to change the scheduled outreach items during the meeting.