Contracted Hearing Officer

The Rent Stabilization Department was created in December 2023 to support the Pasadena Rental Housing Board (PRHB) duties to regulate rent increases on certain rental properties in the city, provide eviction protections, and carry out the other duties set forth in the Pasadena Fair & Equitable Housing Charter Amendment (Charter Amendment) approved by Pasadena voters in November 2022. The Department is responsible for: Enforcing rent stabilization laws: Implementing policies and procedures to prevent unfair rent increases, eviction, and other habitability violations while ensuring rental-property owners receive a fair return on investment in accordance with the Charter Amendment; Assisting tenants and landlords: Provide counseling and guidance to empower tenants and landlords to understand their rights and responsibilities and navigate PRHB processes for petitions, hearings and accessing other city services; Providing a process for downward adjustments of rent and upward adjustments of rent Collecting and analyzing data: Comprehensive data on rents, housing availability, and other data to inform policy decisions, and enforce regulations; Engaging in community outreach and education: Collaborative initiatives with community organizations will educate tenants and landlords about their rights and responsibilities under Pasadena's rent stabilization law (Charter Article XVIII); and Supporting the PRHB to fulfill its policy development functions, processes and facilitate public meetings. The petitions and hearings program launched in February 2025. The Department has since received 138 petitions. The goal of this service is to expand the department's capacity to manage potential increases in petitions. More information about petitions and hearing can be accessed via its website: https://www.cityofpasadena.net/rent-stabilization/petitions-hearings/