2022 Rent Board Convention

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the 2022 Berkeley Rent Board Convention will take place on Wednesday, June 29 from 7-9PM via Zoom. Voting will then take place online (with paper ballots available for those without internet access) through Saturday, July 16. Confirmed sponsors of this year’s convention include the Berkeley Tenants Union, Friends of Adeline, the East Bay Democratic Socialists of America, the Young Democratic Socialists of America – UC Berkeley, Our Revolution East Bay, Healthy Black Families, Berkeley Citizens Action, the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club, the Gray Panthers, the Green Party, SEIU 1021, the Center for Independent Living, and the new Berkeley Progressive Alliance.

This year, there will be FIVE seats up for election. Any Berkeley resident at least thirteen years old* (including college/university students, unhoused residents, and non-citizens and other persons ineligible to register to vote) who fully supports tenants’ rights may vote in the Convention. Per law, candidates for the Rent Board must be registered to vote in Berkeley.

Persons interested in running must complete the candidate questionnaire – located at bit.ly/2022CandidatePacket – by Sunday, May 22. Screening by representatives of the organizations sponsoring the Convention will occur in late June (likely the week of June 22), so candidates should keep their schedule clear during this window and also get in touch as soon as possible! Anyone registered to vote in Berkeley (including students) is eligible to run for so long as they fully support tenants’ rights.

We encourage folks to mark themselves as “going” on the official Facebook event – which can be found at bit.ly/2022RentBoardConvention – as well as to share the event and invite their pro-tenant friends, neighbors, classmates, colleagues, etc. who live in Berkeley.

Please consider making a donation to help us cover all of our costs. To donate, go to berkeleytenants.org and click the yellow “Donate” button in the upper right corner of the website’s homepage (please type “Convention” in the “Add a message to BTU” line). If you are currently in Berkeley and would prefer to make a donation by cash or check (which lets us avoid paying a transaction fee), you can email berkeleytenantsconvention@gmail.com to have someone come pick up your donation in-person (we’ll do so in a way that maintains proper social distancing).

Additional information about the Convention will be added in the coming weeks. Anyone who has questions about the Convention – including prospective candidates, voters, or the press – should email berkeleytenantsconvention@gmail.com.

* by Saturday, July 16 (i.e. was born on or before July 16, 2009)

Important Links
• Website: berkeleytenantsconvention.net
• Email: berkeleytenantsconvention@gmail.com
• Facebook Event: bit.ly/2022RentBoardConvention
• Candidate Application/Packet: bit.ly/2022CandidatePacket
• Convention Zoom Link: bit.ly/2022ConventionZoom
• Candidate Questionnaire Responses: bit.ly/2022CandidateQuestionnaires
• Candidate Ratings and Evaluations: bit.ly/2022RentBoardScreenings
• Request an ELECTRONIC Ballot: bit.ly/2022BallotRequest
• Request a PAPER Ballot: bit.ly/2022PaperBallotRequest*

* Or call BTU at 510-982-6696; intended only for those without internet access

Convention Timeline
• Sunday, May 22: Candidate questionnaire is due
• Early June (likely two dates within 6/4 – 6/11): Mandatory candidate interview
• Wednesday, June 29 at 7-9PM: Convention occurs on Zoom
• Monday, July 11: Last day to request a ballot
• Saturday, July 16: Last day to vote