Rental housing staff report more complex petitions though annual volume returned to earlier levels

Staff provided the Rental Housing Committee an annual update on the rent-stabilization petition program, saying the number of petitions has become more complex even though overall filings returned to pre-outlier levels. "Since the start of the program, in 2017 through the end of this past year, a total of 291 petitions were filed," a staff member said during the Sept. meeting. The update covered petitions related to the CSFRA and the MHRSO, case outcomes, appeals and operational pressures on staff and hearing officers.

The presentation said tenants filed 270 of the 291 petitions and landlords filed 21. For landlord-initiated petitions, staff said 15 entered the formal hearing process and six were withdrawn or not accepted; of the 15 that went to hearing, staff said 13 were resolved in the landlord’s favor or by settlement and three were appealed. For tenant petitions, staff said 190 have been completed through hearing or settlement and that "95% of those received judgments in favor of the tenant or reached a settlement agreement."

Staff told the…