Five of Berkeley’s 9 Rent Stabilization Board seats are up for election this November, with six candidates vying for spots. Rent Board commissioners oversee the Rent Stabilization Program that administers rent control, enacts regulations and hears petitions from tenants and landlords.

Five of those candidates are running as part of the Right to Housing Slate, selected by the Berkeley Tenants Convention with progressive, pro-tenant values in mind. The slate has been endorsed by organizations such as the Berkeley Tenants Union, Cal Berkeley Democrats and East Bay Democratic Socialists of America.

City Council members Ben Bartlett, Igor Tregub and Cecilia Lunaparra are among a number of current, former and prospective elected officials to endorse the slate, including four current Rent Board commissioners.

Avery Arbaugh, Right to Housing Slate

Avery Arbaugh has chaired the Berkeley Tenants Union for the past two years and heads the Berkeley Tenant Organizing Task Force, helping form 10 building-wide tenant associations in Berkeley. She is running to continue her community advocacy and work with community leaders trying to achieve better living conditions and more affordable rent.

“I want to make sure that the tenants that I’ve worked with — the folks who have had to scale multiple flights of stairs, even though they’ve been disabled, the folks who have had mold or cockroaches in their apartments, the folks who have had major habitability issues — have a representative on the Berkeley Rent Board that understands their needs and is able to effectively advocate for them,” Arbaugh said.

Apart from the endorsements received as part of the Right to Housing Slate, Arbaugh has been endorsed by the Alameda County Democratic Party, California Young Democrats and Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii.

Carole Marasovic, independent

Carole Marasovic became a commissioner in 2009 for Berkeley’s Mental Health Commission, now succeeded by the city’s Behavioral Health Commission, and has spent the last 17 years on various city commissions, often as the chair. Bringing her experience writing policy recommendations to City Council, Marasovic is running for Rent Board to fight discrimination against tenants, including on the basis of income source, age and transgender identity.

One of Marasovic’s key targets is implementing and enforcing a standard where the first qualified rental applicant receives the housing, which is a recommendation she wrote when she served on the Homeless Commission.

“The law can help you make things more equitable for you,” Marasovic said. “That’s something that I’m used to working with — I have such an intensive knowledge of the city and the city government and a whole diversity of people’s needs and how to get them implemented. So I’m really eager to take this on.”

Individuals endorsing Marasovic include state Sen. Jesse Arreguín, city councilmembers Terry Taplin, Ben Bartlett, Brent Blackaby and Mark Humbert and three current Rent Board commissioners. She is also endorsed by the Alameda County Democratic Party and the Berkeley Democratic Club.

Ida Martinac, Right to Housing Slate

Ida Martinac is an incumbent Rent Board commissioner running for reelection. During her time on the Rent Board, Martinac said she has made progress in improving climate resilience in residential buildings and working with landlords to do so. If reelected, she plans to continue that work while also improving outreach to tenants.

As part of the Rent Board’s Climate Resilience and Habitability Committee, Martinac has been working on a plan to approach landlords to help tenants install solar panels in case of power outages.

“I put climate resilience on the map,” Martinac said. “I’ve been making people talk about it.”

Apart from the endorsements received as part of the Right to Housing Slate, Martinac has been endorsed by the Alameda County Democratic Party.

Nathan Mizell, Right to Housing Slate

Nathan Mizell is an incumbent Rent Board commissioner running for reelection.

According to the Right to Housing Slate website, Mizell has worked as a law clerk for legal aid nonprofit Centro Legal de La Raza, where he fought for tenant safety, and has served in leadership positions on Berkeley’s Police Accountability Board and Reimagining Public Safety Task Force.

“As a Rent Board Commissioner, he intends to continue fighting for equity and justice in Berkeley, prioritizing greater community awareness of tenant rights and stronger legal protections from housing discrimination, substandard living conditions, and illegal evictions,” the slate’s website reads.

Apart from the endorsements received as part of the Right to Housing Slate, Mizell is also endorsed by the Alameda County Democratic Party and California Young Democrats.

Mizell did not respond to requests for an interview from The Daily Californian.

Vylma Ortiz, Right to Housing Slate

Vylma Ortiz has worn many hats: eviction defense attorney, activist, meditation teacher and radio host. Now, she is looking to add Rent Board commissioner to that list. Ortiz said she wants to ensure Berkeley residents have safe, habitable and stable tenancies and educate uninformed tenants about the Rent Board, while creating policy that distinguishes between big landlords and those that are “mom-and-pop.”

“One of the things I’d like us to explore and bring out more to folks is all these different ideas about alternative housing and social housing that’s been happening in Europe,” Ortiz said. “I think there could be lots of different configurations of how we can live together and work together and provide everyone with shelter.”

Apart from the endorsements received as part of the Right to Housing Slate, Ortiz has been endorsed by the Alameda County Democratic Party.

Derek Rodriguez, Right to Housing Slate

Derek Rodriguez is a UC Berkeley senior and Army veteran. He has worked as an aide for Santa Clara County and as a organizer with the Berkeley Tenants Union and the Berkeley Tenant Organizing Task Force, holding workshops to inform tenants of their rights. He views serving on the Rent Board as a way to continue his career in public service and protect vulnerable tenants.

“These experiences have given me direct exposure to housing instability, constituent services, public institutions, tenant and worker organizing and leadership,” Rodriguez said. “I believe that combination truly prepares me to approach the Rent Board as an institution whose decisions have real consequences for whether people can remain safely and securely housed here in Berkeley.”

Apart from the endorsements received as part of the Right to Housing Slate, Rodriguez is endorsed by the California Young Democrats.