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Board forwards administrative charter amendments to council, schedules June 25 hearing on tenant‑protection proposals
Summary
The board voted to recommend three administrative charter amendments (term limits, fee framework, petition timeline) to city council and directed staff to return all proposed tenant‑protection amendments for public hearing June 25, 2026 (meeting time set for 7:30 p.m.).
The Santa Monica Rent Control Board on June 11 voted to send three administrative charter amendments to the City Council for possible placement on the November 2026 ballot and directed staff to schedule a public hearing on the broader tenant‑protection package for June 25.
Staff presented three administrative amendments for the board’s recommendation: (1) revise commissioner term‑limit language to allow up to three terms and clarify how partial and appointed terms count; (2) reorganize the registration‑fee framework, retain the existing $288 cap as the initial maximum and authorize CPI‑based adjustments beginning in 2028 (subject to a 5% annual cap); and (3) clarify the petition‑decision timeline to preserve the 120‑day standard while allowing extensions for good cause. After public comment and internal discussion, the board voted (4–1, Commissioner Leslie opposed) to recommend all three administrative amendments to the City Council.
Separately, staff presented a package of tenant‑protection concepts (nonpayment threshold at 150% of HUD FMR before termination, expanded family‑member protections, deed‑restriction enforcement provisions and a tenant‑protection finding). The board heard public testimony from tenants, a city council member, and stakeholder representatives. Commissioners requested a side‑by‑side comparison of similar provisions in other jurisdictions and more stakeholder outreach prior to the public hearing. Vice Chair Ambry moved that staff return all proposed amendments for public hearing and recommended scheduling the hearing for June 25; the board approved the motion unanimously and agreed to a tentative 7:30 p.m. start time for the June 25 meeting.
What happens next: The three administrative amendments will go to City Council as the board’s recommendation; the tenant‑protection proposals will be the subject of a board public hearing on June 25 (staff to prepare comparative materials and stakeholder outreach before that meeting).
