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Effective March 1, 2023, the Housing, Residential Rent and Relocation Board will be transitioning back to in-person meetings. For more information, click here.

The Housing, Residential Rent and Relocation Board (HRRRB) currently has vacancies. To see which positions are vacant, view the current HRRRB roster, or to submit an application, please click here .

The Housing, Residential Rent and Relocation Board enforces the Rent Adjustment Ordinance that is set out by the Oakland City Council and fosters fair housing for a diverse population of renters. The board also hears appeals from decisions by Rent Adjustment Program hearing officers and develops and amends regulations for the Rent Adjustment Program. The Board may also make recommendations to the City Council or appropriate City Council committee pertaining to the residential rent, eviction or other City housing policy when requested to do so by the City Council or when the Board otherwise acts to do so.

The Board consist of seven (7) regular members appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council: two (2) residential rental property owners, two (2) tenants, and three (3) persons who are neither tenants nor residential rental property owners (undesignated representatives). The Board also has six (6) alternate members: two (2) residential rental property owners, two (2) tenants and two (2) persons who are neither a tenants nor residential rental property owners. Alternates may act at Board meetings in the absence of a regular Board member of the same category, and at appeal panels meetings without such an absence

All board members serve three-year staggered terms and can serve no more than two consecutive terms. The Housing, Residential Rent and Relocation Board meets regularly on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 6:00 p.m in City Hall. The meeting can be observed via Zoom, and the Zoom link will be posted on the meeting’s agenda. Zoom can be used for observation only, not participation.

The Rent Adjustment Program Ordinance can be found at this link: https://www.oaklandca.gov/resources/read-the-oakland-rent-adjustment-program-ordinance

Related Meetings

Topics

Undesignated Representatives

Denard Ingram

Denard Ingram Photo

As Chair of the HRRR Board, Denard works with his fellow Board members and RAP staff to continue expanding our outreach; to ensure that enforcement of the Board’s duties authorized in OMC 8.22, including the Rent Adjustment Ordinance, is fair for both tenants and property owners; and to advise City Council on rent protections and housing policies that are centered in equity. Chair Ingram encourages ALL Oakland residents to attend our meetings, and voice their concerns regarding the City’s Rent Ordinance, and Housing laws.

Denard received his B.A. in Psychology from Rollins College, and his M.A. in Child & Adolescent Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology; both of which he has utilized for over a decade of public service. As an Oakland resident, and Social Worker for the City and County of San Francisco, he knows how vital significant investments into housing are to many Californians. Working with individuals that are 65 and older, blind, and/or disabled, he sees first-hand the harmful impact of housing insecurity. This is further supplemented by Denard’s own experience with housing insecurity in his childhood and adult lives.

Denard is passionate about advocating for his tribes and manifests this through work as a member of the East Bay Young Democrats; the Black, LGBT, and Disability caucuses of the California Democratic Party; and volunteering with The Trevor Project. As part of his own mental health journey, Denard promotes the importance of physical, mental, and emotional self-care. He manages his work-life balance by reading, watching anime, adding to his vinyl collection, and making craft cocktails for friends. He also enjoys being surrounded by nature; one day he hopes to have a sunflower garden of his own.

Charles Oshinuga

Unknown

Undesignated Representative

Marcos Escobar

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Undesignated Representative

Landlord Representatives

Demitri Taylor

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Landlord Representative

Kara Brodfuehrer

Kara Brodfuehrer Headshot

Kara Brodfuehrer is a long-term Oakland resident where she lives with her daughter and their dog and cat. She is currently a senior counsel with the State of California’s Civil Rights Department, where she focuses on educating Californians about their rights under the Fair Employment and Housing Act and other civil rights laws. She was previously a staff attorney with the National Housing Law Project, where she engaged in state and federal policy advocacy to improve tenants’ rights and increase the availability of affordable housing. Kara was also a Senior Attorney at the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley’s Mental Health Advocacy, where she represented low‐income tenants with disabilities in unlawful detainers and civil rights impact litigation, including Huynh v. Harasz, a class action on behalf of section 8 voucher holders. Kara started her legal career at California Rural Legal Assistance Inc., focusing on improving public infrastructure, fair housing, and promoting environmental justice in disadvantaged unincorporated communities. She has a B.S. in Social Work from the State University of New York at Albany and a J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law.

Chris Jackson (Alternate)

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Landlord Representative (Alternate)

Tenant Representatives

DéSeana Williams

DéSeana Williams Headshot

Ms. DéSeana Williams is a dedicated servant leader who has spent over 25 years working and advocating for those most in need. Currently, Ms. Williams is the Executive Director of the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board and is passionate about ensuring access to affordable housing for all citizens. Born and raised in New York, Ms. Williams has spent the last 15 years living in Detroit, Michigan, before relocating to Oakland, California. Ms. Williams’s commitment to community and service has also extended to serving on the board of numerous non-profit organizations that address critical social issues like homelessness, mental health, substance use disorders, aging services, and inequality. She has provided valuable insight and guidance to these organizations, ensuring their efforts are sustainable and effective. With DéSeana’s help, these organizations have continued providing much-needed services and positive impacts to the communities they serve. These efforts continue today through her leadership of the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board as a strong voice for tenant protections and rent stabilization. She is the proud mother of a daughter attending Wayne State University in Detroit. DéSeana enjoys playing tennis and spending time as a new puppy parent. She holds a degree in Public Administration, a two-time Hall of Fame athlete and is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

John deBoer (Alternate)

John deBoer Headshot. Photo by Kathe Hashimoto.

John deBoer is a tailor and artist who has been an Oakland resident since 2014. Born in Middletown, Connecticut, he graduated from Bard College and has lived in New York City, Chicago, rural Indiana, and Tokyo before coming to Oakland, and has always been a tenant. For several years he has been active in the Oakland Tenants Union, where he served as chair of the Education and Counselling Committee, helping tenants understand their rights and helping them find resources to advocate for themselves.

Merika Goolsby (Alternate)

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Tenant Representative (Alternate)

About

ABOUT THE RENT ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM

The Oakland City Council adopted the Rent Adjustment Program Ordinance (OMC Chapter 8.22) in 1980. This ordinance sets the maximum annual rent increase based on the annual CPI increase and handles rent adjustments for claims of decreases in housing services and handles other rent-related matters. The purpose of this program is to foster fair housing for a diverse population of renters and enforce the Rent Adjustment Ordinance set out by the City of Oakland.

Contact Us

Address

Phone Numbers

Email Address

Business Hours

The Housing, Residential Rent and Relocation Board meets on Thursdays at 6:00 pm in City Hall, Hearing Room 1. Full Board meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month.