Albany advisory committee reviews rent‑review program; data show low use of mediation

At its June 4 meeting, the Albany Housing Advisory Committee reviewed the City of Albany's Rent Review Program, a city initiative established in 2018 to give tenants education, conciliation and mediation when a rent increase exceeds 5 percent in a 12-month period. Chris Hess, a consultant working on the city's housing element, presented program structure, utilization data and outreach findings.

The rent review program provides three services through ECHO Housing (Eden Council for Hope and Opportunity): education, conciliation (phone/Zoom outreach to each party) and in-person mediation with a professional mediator. "If it is over 5% in a year, including if there are multiple rent increases that cumulatively add up to 5%, then [ECHO Housing] will explain to the individual the rent review program," Hess said. Participation in the program is required, he said, but mediation outcomes are nonbinding: property owners may still implement an increase even after mediation.

Why this matters: Commissioners and public commenters said the program's low use of conciliation and mediation limits its value for tenant protection. Commissioners noted that many landlords are not registering units and that tenant awareness of the program is low, limiting access to the program's protections. The committee framed the program primarily as an education resource that needs stronger outreach and enforcement of existing notice requirements.

Program mechanics and funding ECHO Housing was selected by the city via a request for proposals. The program is funded by a $15-per-unit-per-year registration fee paid by property owners. Hess said the city collected about $23,000 in the last reported year, representing roughly 1,500 registered units. The rent review process is triggered when a tenant receives a rent increase greater than 5 percent in a year; statewide AB 1482 establishes a 10 percent guideline for many units, but the City of Albany's program is separate and nonbinding. "The rent review program really applies to almost any unit in the City Of Albany," Hess said, and he noted UC Village units are excluded.

Use and outcomes Committee members reviewed utilization data that show a steady number of education contacts but very few cases advancing to conciliation or mediation. Hess said the most any year has seen is four cases move to conciliation and that there were none reported in 2024. He added that ECHO Housing absorbs the cost of education contacts through county grants and bills the city only for conciliation/mediation hours.

Barriers identified Committee discussion and public comments identified several likely barriers to greater participation: - Lack of tenant awareness. An Albany tenant survey cited during the meeting found about one-third of respondents (mostly tenants) were aware of the program and two-thirds were not. Commissioner discussion and public commenters said many tenants do not receive or do not read notice forms when leases are signed or rent increases are served. - Landlord nonregistration. Commissioners said roughly 1,500 registered units contrasted with an estimate near 4,000 renter households cited from the housing element, suggesting many landlords are not registered and may not provide required notices. - Fear of retaliation and power imbalance. Several commissioners and public commenters said tenants fear retaliation if they pursue conciliation or mediation, especially because mediation is nonbinding. - Language and scheduling for non-English speakers. Hess said ECHO provides services in English and Spanish directly; other languages require third-party telephone interpretation and extra coordination, which may deter participation.

Public and commissioner perspectives Commissioner Marks, who said she worked on rent review issues and the Social and Economic Justice Commission for many years, called the program's nonbinding mediation "a complete failure" in practice and urged stronger enforcement and alternatives, including a registry audit and clearer limits on allowable increases. "The nonbinding mediation aspect of the program has been a complete failure," Marks said, citing both low use and outcomes reported in Albany's housing element.

Public commenter Elaine Stelton said her calls to ECHO Housing typically ended at the education stage because either landlords or tenants simply needed to learn what a legal increase looks like. "Many of the cases that came to them were either because the landlord was not aware what a legal increase was or the tenant wasn't aware that the rental increase that they received was actually within legal limits," she said.

Several commissioners said the program's education component is the most useful piece and that efforts should focus on ensuring tenants know where to find information and that landlords fulfill their notice obligations. Vice Chair Ramirez said tenants often need someone to "talk to somebody about what laws apply to them, and navigate that process," and recommended linking rent-review outreach with proposed legal-assistance efforts.

Next steps discussed Committee members proposed several possible actions to increase the program's effectiveness: auditing landlord registration to identify unregistered units, simplifying and distributing notice materials in plain language and multiple venues (including community events and the senior center), and coordinating with legal-assistance programs so tenants who receive education from ECHO have a clear path for more help if needed. No formal action was taken; staff said this item was a preview and that it will eventually be presented to the City Council as part of the housing element implementation.

Ending note Hess closed by asking the committee and public for feedback on outreach, program design, and the role of rent review within Albany's broader tenant-protection strategy. The committee moved on to other agenda items after deliberation and public comment.