write a news report out of this agenda item for the rental board in Pasadena, making sure to include details of the meeting and instructions on how residents can participate: This is a motion that the Pasadena rental housing board will vote on this Wednesday, which if adopted would allow the board to begin to hire temporary workers to become housing counselors and also, very importantly, would hire an interim executive director to run the housing board Department

Here’s the Agenda Report:



REGULAR MEETING AGENDA PASADENA RENTAL HOUSING BOARD OCTOBER 11, 2023 Public Meeting: 6:00 P.M. Robinson Park Recreation Center 1081 N Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103, Multi-Purpose Room PUBLIC MEETING - 6:00 P.M

3. ADOPTION A RESOLUTION OF THE PASADENA RENTAL HOUSING BOARD
AUTHORIZING THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE AD
HOC STAFFING COMMITTEE, TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS WITH STAFFING
AGENCIES TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY STAFFING FOR HOUSING
COUNSELORS AND AN INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Recommendation: It is recommended that the Pasadena Rental Housing Board
approve the following:
(1) Find that the proposed action is exempt from the California Environmental
Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3)
(common sense exemption); and
(2) Adopt a resolution of the Pasadena Rental Housing Board authorizing the Chair
of the Board, in consultation with the ad hoc staffing committee, to enter into
contracts with staffing agencies to provide temporary staffing for housing counselors
and an interim executive director.

October 11, 2023 memorandum To Pasadena Rental Housing Board From Lourdes Gonzalez, Lead, Interim Staffing Ad Hoc Committee RE ADOPT A RESOLUTION OF THE PASADENA RENTAL HOUSING BOARD AUTHORIZING THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE AD HOC STAFFING COMMITTEE, TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS WITH STAFFING AGENCIES TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY STAFFING FOR HOUSING COUNSELORS AND AN INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the Pasadena Rental Housing Board approve the following: (1) Find that the proposed action is exempt from the California Enviromnental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) (common sense exemption); (2) Adopt a resolution of the Pasadena Rental Housing Board authorizing the Chair of the Board, in consultation with the ad hoc staffing committee, to enter into contracts with staffing agencies to provide temporary staffing for housing counselors and an interim executive director. BACKGROUND. On November 8, 2022, the voters of the City of Pasadena (the "City") voted to adopt Measure H, which amended the City's Charter to impose rent control and just cause eviction protections. The Pasadena City Council ("City Council") adopted a resolution certifying the results of the November 8, 2022, election on December 12, 2022, and the charter amendment was thereafter filed with the California Secretary of State and took effect on December 22, 2022. On April 19, 2023, the City Council appointed members to serve on the Pasadena Rental Housing Board ("Board") to administer City Charter Article XVIII, The Pasadena Fair 1806\06\3617786.1 Item 3 10/11/2023 October 11, 2023 Page 2 and Equitable Housing Charter Amendment ("Charter Amendment"). The Board is the charter-created governmental body within the City that is generally responsible for the enforcement and implementation of the Charter Amendment. (See, generally, City Charter, art. XVIII, § 1811.) The Board held its first meeting on May 24, 2023. At one of the Board's first meetings various ad hoc committees were established to begin the work of implementing the Charter Amendment, including the Ad Hoc Interim Staffing Plan Committee. ("Staffing Committee"). The Staffing Committee has been working with bhyv Consulting to prepare a staffing plan for the PRHB which is expected to be presented to the full Board either at the next meeting or the Board's meeting in November. However, realistically the Staffing Committee has determined that once a staffing plan is approved, it is likely to take several months to hire staff. In the meantime, the Staffing Committee is recommending that the PRHB hire two interim housing counselors to respond to inquiries from the public regarding the Charter Amendment as well as an interim executive director to supervise the housing counselors and assist with the other tasks that are necessary to set up the program. There are various staffing agencies that may be able to assist in providing interim staff including Terri Black and Company, CPS HR Consulting, Ralph Andersen and Associates, Bob Murray and Associates and Baker Tilly. The Staffing Committee is seeking authorization from the Board for the Chair to enter into a contract with one or more of the listed staffing agencies to provide interim housing counselors and an interim executive director until the staffing plan, once approved, can be implemented. The staffing agencies to be contracted with will be determined by the Staffing Committee. ANALYSIS Determining the appropriate level of staffing needed to manage the PRHB program and implementing that staffing plan requires a significant amount of work, including working extensively with the City on establishing appropriate job classifications, salary levels and in some instances creating new job classifications, which requires City Council approval. Although the Staffing Committee and bhyv Consulting have been working diligently on preparing a staffing plan, it is unlikely that permanent program staff can be hired until sometime in the Spring of 2024. In the interim, tenants and landlords need access to housing counseling to understand the requirements of the Charter Amendment. Bhyv Consulting's contract includes up to 10 hours of housing counseling per week, which has proven to be insufficient. Additionally, bhyv Consulting is only able to respond to emails. Many landlords and tenants are seeking to meet with a housing counselor or speak to a housing counselor on the phone. The process of addressing questions typically requires a significant amount of back and forth between the person requesting information and the counselor to make sure that information given is accurate. Email does not always provide the best forum for that type of interaction. Interim housing counselors would be able to respond to inquiries in a 1806\06\3617786.1 October 11, 2023 Page 3 timely manner and engage in the dialogue needed to give the detailed information being sought by members of the public. If interim housing counselors are hired, bhyv would train the counselors and provide additional support on the substantive issues related to the Charter Amendment. The Staffing Committee is also recommending hiring an interim executive director to supervise the housing counselors and to assist in setting up the infrastructure necessary for the program to function. The Staffing Committee and the consultants are discussing other options for an interim executive director with the City but in order to ensure that program implementation can proceed, the Staffing Committee is requesting that the Board authorize a contract with a staffing agency to hire an interim executive director. The Staffing Committee has not had a chance to meet with the staffing agencies to see which would be the right fit so is requesting authorization for the Chair to enter into contracts with one or more staffing agencies to provide 2 housing counselors and an interim executive director. The staffing agencies would be selected by the Staffing Committee. Because the City Charter requires any contracts over $75,000 be approved by the City Council, in order to not delay the hiring process, the Staffing Committee is recommending that at least two different staffing agencies be contracted with, one for the housing counselors and one for the interim executive director. FISCAL IMPACT: The adoption of the resolution is expected to result in the PRHB incurring expenses that could total $149,998. The City of Pasadena has allocated $500,000 to the PRHB to date. Once the Board approves a budget and rental housing fee, it is expected that the Board will have a revenue stream that can fund these costs but in the interim the Board may need to seek additional funds from the City to cover cost. ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A - A RESOLUTION OF THE PASADENA RENTAL HOUSING BOARD AUTHORIZING THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS WITH STAFFING AGENCIES TO PROVIDE INTEMM HOUSING COUNSELORS AND AN INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. 1806\06\3617786.1 PASADENA RENTAL HOUSING BOARD RESOLUTION NO. RHB-2023-XX A RESOLUTION OF THE PASADENA RENTAL HOUSING BOARD AUTHORIZING THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS WITH STAFFING AGENCIES TO PROVIDE INTERIM HOUSING COUNSELORS AND AN INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHEREAS, the Pasadena Fair and Equitable Charter Amendment ("Charter Amendment") went into effect on December 22, 2022, and the Rental Housing Board ("Board") was appointed on April 19,2023; and WHEREAS, the Board is charged with implementing the Charter Amendment, including "engaging any staff necessary to ensure implementation" of the Charter Amendment (Section 1811(1)); and WHEREAS, the Ad Hoc Committee of the Board on Interim Staffing ("Staffing Committee") has determined that there is an immediate need to hire interim housing counselors in order to provide information and guidance to landlords and tenants on their rights and responsibilities under the Charter Amendment; and WHEREAS, the Staffing Committee has also determined that there is an immediate need to hire an interim executive director to supervise the interim housing counselors and to assist with setting up the infrastructure for the implementation of the Charter Amendment; and WHEREAS, the Staffing Committee has determined that the most efficient means of filling the interim housing counselor positions and the interim executive director position is to use staffing agencies experienced in providing staffing for municipalities and other public agencies; and WHEREAS, the Staffing Committee is recommending that the Board authorize the Chair of the Board to enter into agreements with one or more staffing agencies to provide interim housing counselors and an interim executive director, with the selection of the staffing agencies to be determined by the Staffing Committee. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board that the Chair of the Board is authorized to enter into one or more contracts with staffing agencies to provide up to two housing counselors and an interim executive director subject to the recommendation of the Staffing Committee and provided that no single contract will exceed $74,999. 1806\06\3617795.1 The foregoing Resolution was adopted at a regular meeting of the Pasadena Rental Housing Board, duly held on the _ day of October 2023, by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: ATTEST: DESIREEACOSTA RECORDING SECRETARY RYAN J.BELL CHAIR, RENTAL HOUSING BOARD