Rent Leveling Commission
A1 David Parliment
A1 Alt 1 Steven Kedes
A1 Alt 2 Carol Berta
A2 Anthony Iafelice
A2 Carol Ratner
A2 Alt 1 Charles Patrick
A2 Alt 2 Paul Schmidt
A3 Rosemarie Ferrante
A3 Alt 1 Zoren Vukosavich
A4 Gail Winters
A4 Thomas Gallagher, Chair
A4 Alt 1 Marilyn Shapiro
A4 Alt 2 Robert Wojtaszczyk
A5 Carrol Merren
A5 Alt 1 Debbie Gibaldi
Secretary: Karen Parliment
Attorney: Mark Madio
Meeting Dates: (All meetings are held at 7:30 p.m. at the Community Center, 725 Slocum Avenue)
January 8, 2008
February 12, 2008
March 11, 2008
April 8, 2008
May 13, 2008
June 10, 2008
July 8, 2008
August 12, 2008
September 9, 2008
October 14, 2008
November 11, 2008
December 9, 2008
§ 322-3. Rent Leveling Board. [Amended 8-15-1983 by Ord. No. 1243; 3-12-1984 by Ord. No. 1255; 2-11-1985 by Ord. No. 1275; 7-27-1987 by Ord. No. 1332; 7-27-1992 by Ord. No. 1478; 3-28-1994 by Ord. No. 1508; 9-26-1994 by Ord. No. 1515; 1-26-2004 by Ord. No. 1853]
A. There is hereby created a Rent Leveling Board which shall consist of the following membership:
(1) One person, a resident of the Borough of Ridgefield, neither a residential tenant nor a landlord.
(2) Two landlords owning property affected by this chapter within the Borough of Ridgefield, or their representatives.
(3) One person who owns a residential rental property in the Borough of Ridgefield, whether that person be a landlord (as defined by this chapter) or not.
(4) Two tenants residing within the Borough of Ridgefield.
(5) One person who leases residential rental property in the Borough of Ridgefield, whether that person be a tenant (as defined by this chapter) or not.
(6) The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Rent Leveling Board shall be elected by and from the regular voting members thereof.
B. Appointments will be made by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Borough Council. In the event that the Mayor and Borough Council are unable to secure the services of sufficient persons to bring the Rent Leveling Board to full membership from these categories, then the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Borough Council, shall appoint sufficient people as may be necessary to bring the Rent Leveling Board to full membership, which appointments shall be made with regard for categories of membership representation.
C. Members of the Rent Leveling Board shall serve for a term of one year or until the expiration of this chapter, whichever is sooner.
D. Alternate members.
(1) There shall be further appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Borough Council two alternate members for designation in Subsection A(1), (2), and (4) and one alternate member for designation in Subsection A(3) and (5), for a total of eight alternate members.
(2) At the time of the appointment of the alternates, there shall be designated Alternate No. 1 and Alternate No. 2 for designation in Subsection A(1), (2) and (4) above. For each of those designations, Alternate 1 shall be the first to serve in the event that a member of its designation is absent.
(3) The term of office of these alternate members shall be for a period of one year or until the expiration of this chapter, whichever is sooner. Each member shall serve without compensation. All alternates shall have the right to attend all meetings of the Rent Leveling Board but shall have no vote except in the absence of one of the members of the Board within their qualification. An alternate member may vote only if that alternate member is serving for an absent regular member in the same designation category (see Subsection A above). For example, in the event that a member of the Board appointed to fill a designation in Subsection A(1) is absent, then the alternate who is appointed for that designation shall sit and have the right to vote.
E. A quorum of the Rent Leveling Board shall be four members or alternates, of which at least one must be a tenant and one must be a landlord. In the event that a meeting cannot be held for lack of a quorum, then, at the next scheduled meeting, a quorum shall consist of any four members, regardless of classification, but a preference shall be given to achieve representation by all of the above categories. If more than one tenant or landlord is present under these circumstances, then the first named in the appointing resolution to the Board shall be considered the voting member of that classification present for quorum and voting purposes. In the event that a meeting cannot be held for lack of a quorum where the requirement is four members or alternates, then, at the third scheduled meeting, a quorum shall consist of four members, regardless of classification, but a preference shall be given to achieve representation by all of the above categories.
F. The Rent Leveling Board shall have the authority to designate one of the alternate members as a regular member to replace a regular member whose attendance at meetings has been sporadic. The thus-substituted former regular member shall become the alternate member.
§ 322-4. Powers of Board.
The Rent Leveling Board is hereby granted and shall have and exercise, in addition to other powers herein granted, all the powers necessary and appropriate to carry out and execute the purposes of this chapter, including but not limited to the power to:
A. Supply information and assistance to tenants and landlords to help them comply with the provisions of this chapter, including all necessary statistical information of the consumer price index in computation of proper rental increases.
B. Hold hearings and adjudicate applications from landlords for rental increases and increases based on tax surcharge, capital improvement and/or hardship.
C. Ensure and promulgate such rules and regulations as it deems necessary to implement the purposes of this chapter, including but not limited to the use of subpoenas, which rules and regulations shall have the force of law until repealed or amended from time to time by the Board in the exercise of its discretion, provided that such rules are approved by the Mayor and Council and are filed with the Borough Clerk.
D. Hold hearings and adjudicate applications from tenants for adjustment or reduced rental as hereinafter provided.
E. Review questioned exercises of vacancy equalization by landlords and to make recommendations for the Mayor and Council concerning any abuses regarding same. [Amended 8-15-1983 by Ord. No. 1243]
F. Hold hearings at convenient times, dates and places after proper notice of the hearing and purposes thereof are given to all affected parties.
G. Require a landlord to produce for examination books, records, tax returns, balance sheets, profit and loss statements, and such other records as the Board may require in connection with any application hearing, proceeding or purpose.
H. Hold hearings and adjudicate applications from tenants for qualified senior citizen status. [Added 3-22-2004 by Ord. No. 1863]