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Richmond Rent Board directs staff to craft options on exemptions for subsidized housing, sets September vote
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Summary
After public comment and debate over habitability complaints at Monterey Pines, the Richmond Rent Board voted to direct staff to develop policy options — including rescission of exemptions in Regulations 202 and 204 and Resolution 19-01 — and to return with monthly updates ahead of a September 2026 vote. (Yes: 3; Abstain: 2).
The Richmond Rent Board on March 18 directed staff to develop policy options for exemptions granted to governmentally subsidized rental units, including the option to rescind Regulations 202 and 204 and Resolution 19-01, and set a September 2026 meeting for a final vote.
The action came after a staff study-session presentation and public comment from both an affordable-housing provider and tenant advocates about habitability and oversight at properties such as Monterey Pines. Executive Director Fred Tran told the board staff’s analysis showed roughly 4,400 governmentally subsidized units in Richmond in 2025 and that bringing many of those units under full rent control would “have a significant staffing impact” and affect the program’s budget and fee structure.
“The item before you, H1, is the study session update for regulation 202 and 204,” Tran said, summarizing the historical context and the complexity of different subsidy programs and how they interact with rent restrictions. He said staff had begun outreach to stakeholders and recommended the board receive the study session and direct staff to develop policy options.
During public comment, an affordable-housing provider representing regulated properties said regulatory agreements cap rents in some developments at 30% of 80% area median income and that those agreements and loan covenants limit operators’ margins. The speaker said the provider had invested nearly $13 million in capital improvements over three years and planned roughly $4 million more in 2026 and asked the board for more time to collaborate on solutions rather than immediate rescission.
Adam Morton of Movement Legal urged immediate repeal, calling the exemptions “bad regulations” and arguing they had been improperly adopted. “They were illegally enacted in the first place, and the only way forward is to repeal them now,” Morton said, citing Monterey Pines habitability complaints and saying tenants deserve a mechanism to compel repairs.
A board member moved to rescind the exemptions outright. Vice Chair Cantor offered — and the board adopted — a substitute motion to direct staff to prepare policy options (including rescission as one option), return monthly updates, and bring any properties with potential violations of Resolution 19-01’s 5% increase standard back to the board for immediate consideration. Cantor said a phased, data-driven approach would prevent overwhelming the Rent Program’s capacity while still addressing tenant harm.
The substitute motion passed with three yes votes (Board member Hite, Vice Chair Cantor, Chair Tipton) and two abstentions (Board member Espinosa, Board member Willis).
What happens next: Staff will draft a set of policy options and implementation plans, report monthly to the board on outreach and analysis, and return to the regular September 2026 meeting for a final vote. The board also asked staff to prioritize any petitions or complaints indicating potential violations of Resolution 19-01 for earlier consideration.
The board’s action does not itself change regulations or remove exemptions; it only directed staff to develop options and a timeline for possible future action.
