On Tuesday, November 27, 2018, the Concord City Council received a staff report following the one-year three-month anniversary of the Rent Review Board, along with an update on the Rental  Inspection Program.  City staff provided the City Council with an update on the Rent Review Board’s first 15-months of the program, providing them with the following information; a total of 53 request calls for service were made, resulting in 25 cases, two of which were still pending at the time of the November 27^th meeting.  Of the 23 closed cases, 17 were completed at the conciliation level, two were completed through mediation and four went to arbitration.  Of the closed cases, four (17%) resulted in tenant relocating: two following conciliation and two following arbitration; 83% resulted in the tenant staying in their residence.

Following the staff report the City Council listed to over 40 speakers (tenants, tenants advocates and landlords) regarding both programs, but majority of speaker’s comments focused on Rent Control and Just Cause Eviction. Once public comment concluded, the Mayor closed public comment on the topic. 

The City Council had a brief discussion regarding the comments they heard and voted to wait until Councilmember-Elect Dominic Aliano was sworn in to Council to continue their discussion on Tuesday, December 11^th.  As public comments were closed by the Mayor, members of the community would not have an opportunity to speak on the topic again during the meeting on December 11^th.

On Tuesday, December 11, 2018, the Concord City Council continued their discussion regarding the Rent Review Board, Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction; these items were commented on during the council meeting on November 27^th.  The Council spoke to their concerns and wants on how they might create or establish a solution that would suit Concord.

During the comments by the Council, it was suggested that there be consideration the create an Ad Hoc Committee for the sole purpose of discussing workable solutions to the problems facing Concord.  The Council agreed that this would be the best starting point to create a dialogue from both sides of the issue and working together to come up with a solution that is not one sided.

As the creation of an Ad Hoc Committee was not on the agenda, staff was directed to create the language and the parameters in which the committee will function, and it was requested that it be agendized for the Mayor for Tuesday, January 8^th.  During the meeting on the January 8^th, the Mayor will create and appoint two siting councilmembers to the participate on the committee.