City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: OCTOBER 3, 2012
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RASHAD M. YOUNG, CITY MANAGER /s/
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Consideration of Resolution from the Landlord-Tenant Relations Board Regarding the Voluntary Rent Guidelines. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
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ISSUE: City Council consideration of the Resolution from the Landlord-Tenant Relations Board regarding the Voluntary Rent Guidelines.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council approve the attached Resolution (Attachment I) establishing the City's Voluntary Rent Guidelines at a percentage increase of not more than 5% where the tenant pays utilities and not more than 7% where the owner pays utilities, as recommended by the Landlord-Tenant Relations Board.
BACKGROUND: Virginia localities are prohibited from enacting rent control. However, for over 20 years, the City has encouraged landlords to limit rent increases in accordance with the City's Voluntary Rent Guidelines, which are suggested maximum rent increases for existing tenants. These voluntary guidelines provide no enforcement authority against landlords who fail to comply with them, as under Virginia law, the City has no authority to place mandatory limits on rent increases.
The Landlord-Tenant Relations Board reviews the Guidelines annually and makes recommendations to City Council regarding their adequacy. In preparing its recommendations, the Board considers rent data, market forecasts and vacancy surveys by Delta Associates, a national real estate consulting firm as well as data prepared by the Office of Housing in its annual apartment survey. The Office of Housing survey covers all rental complexes in the City with ten or more units. Delta Associates’ survey is based on a representative sample of complexes in smaller area submarkets within the City, and distinguishes between “Class A” and “Class B” apartme...
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