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Last year, Pasadena voters passed Measure H, which created a new Rental Housing Board of 11 members. The Board would have 7 tenant members (one from each district), 4 at-large members (from any City District) and one additional alternate for each group.
By Briony James
The City Council spent a long session on April 19, 2023, choosing the following tenant representatives:
- District 1: Emanuel Najera
- District 2: Dianne Romero Chavez
- District 3: Brandon Lamar
- District 4: Barbara Pitts
- District 5: Yaneli Soriano Santiago
- District 6: Ryan Bell
- District 7: Deborah Dunlop
The at-large members appointed are:
- Arnold Siegel
- Lourdes Gonzalez
- Adela Torres
- Allison Henry
The tenant alternate appointee is Aaron Markowitz, and the at-large alternate appointee is Peter Dreier.
This board, which will oversee the rollout and implementation of the new Article XVIII of the City Charter, will be responsible for enforcing tenant rights related to evictions, rent control, relocation assistance and other legal issues. Mayor Gordo recused himself on the basis of his ownership of rental property within the city, citing his determination to maintain the new board’s integrity.
The new Pasadena Rental Housing Board will have its first official meeting on or around May 17, 2023.
Noteworthy
– Each Councilmember was asked to nominate five at large members in rank order. City Clerk Mark Jomsky then combined these rankings to get the nomination process started. Though former mayor Terry Tornek came in third in the overall ranking, Councilmember Gene Masuda was the only one to suggest Tornek be appointed to the board.
– It is notable that longtime housing justice advocate and non-profit landlord, Michelle White, was not appointed to the board. White has fought for rent control and other tenant protections in Pasadena for well over two decades and has been instrumental in moving numerous other housing policies. White was named in the initial 4-person slates presented by Councilmembers Jess Rivas and Gene Masuda but no formal motion to appoint White was ever made.
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It is also noteworthy that councilmembers Felicia Williams and Tyron Hampton nominated two of the landlords who sued the city to stop measure H.
Williams is running for state assembly and Hampton is up for re-election. We need better councilmembers who care about the will of the voters.