Amberhill Props. v. City Of Berkeley, 814 F.2d 1340 (9th Cir. 1987). · Go Syfert
Search
Amberhill Props. v. City Of Berkeley, 814 F.2d 1340 (9th Cir. 1987). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
“the board's statement is binding on it in any further proceedings in this case.”
11 citation events (8 in the last 25 years) across 3 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: Andrew Roley v. Google LLC (ca9, 2022-07-14)
Top citers, strongest first. 8 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited as authority (quoted) Andrew Roley v. Google LLC
9th Cir. · 2022 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence low
the board's statement is binding on it in any further proceedings in this case.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Turner v. Boutista
9th Cir. · 1998 · confidence medium
Hoeck v. City of Portland, 57 F.3d 781, 784 (9th Cir.1995); Amberhill Properties v. City of Berkeley, 814 F.2d 1340, 1341 (9th Cir.1987). 3 The district court properly dismissed the confiscation claim on the ground that California law provides an adequate post-deprivation remedy.
discussed Cited "see" Manufactured Home Communities Inc. v. City Of San Jose
9th Cir. · 2005 · signal: see · confidence high
See Amberhill Props. v. City of Berkeley, 814 F.2d 1340 , 1341 (9th Cir.1987). 16 Under Kavanau v. Santa Monica Rent Control Board, 16 Cal.4th 761 , 66 Cal.Rptr.2d 672 , 941 P.2d 851 (1997), and Galland v. City of Clovis, 24 Cal.4th 1003 , 103 Cal.Rptr.2d 711 , 16 P.3d 130 (2001), California's procedure for seeking just compensation after a local rent control board denies an adjustment requires petitioners to file a writ of mandamus in state court.
cited Cited "see" Manufactured Home Communities Inc. v. City of San Jose
9th Cir. · 2005 · signal: see · confidence high
See Amberhill Props. v. City of Berkeley, 814 F.2d 1340 , 1341 (9th Cir.1987). 16 .
discussed Cited "see" Wagner v. Professional Engineers In California Government
9th Cir. · 2004 · signal: see · confidence high
See Amberhill Props. v. City of Berkeley, 814 F.2d 1340 , 1341 (9th Cir.1987) (concession at oral argument is binding in further proceedings). 4 Generally, before an argument will be considered on appeal, "the argument must be raised sufficiently for the trial court to rule on it." Sofamor Danek Group, Inc. v. Brown, 124 F.3d 1179 , 1186 n. 4 (9th Cir.1997) (internal quotation marks omitted).
cited Cited "see" Wagner v. Professional Engineers in California Government
9th Cir. · 2004 · signal: see · confidence high
See Amberhill Props. v. City of Berkeley, 814 F.2d 1340 , 1341 (9th Cir.1987) (concession at oral argument is binding in further proceedings). .
cited Cited "see" Julie Beaty v. Bet Holdings, Inc.
9th Cir. · 2000 · signal: see · confidence high
See Amberhill Properties v. City of Berkeley, 814 F.2d 1340, 1341 (9th Cir.1987) (concession at oral argument is binding in further proceedings).
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Fox Hills Canterbury Co. v. City of Culver City CA2/4
Cal. Ct. App. · 2026 · signal: see also · confidence low
(Sandpiper Mobile Village, at pp. 548–549; see also Amberhill Properties v. City of Berkeley (9th Cir. 1987) 814 F.2d 1340 , 1341 [where landlord did not seek rent adjustment from city, court could not decide whether application of regulations effected unconstitutional taking].) Until Fox Hills submits a rent 15 adjustment application, and the City determines whether to exercise its discretion to grant a rent adjustment, it is not possible to determine whether Fox Hills will receive a sufficient return on its investment.
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
Amberhill Properties, a Limited Partnership and Martin Overstreet, an Individual
v.
City of Berkeley, a Municipal Corporation and City of Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board
85-2595.
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Apr 10, 1987.
814 F.2d 1340
Published
1 passage pin-cited by 1 case
Pinpoint authority: bottom 70%
Citer courts: Ninth Circuit (1)

814 F.2d 1340

AMBERHILL PROPERTIES, a limited partnership; and Martin
Overstreet, an individual, Plaintiffs-Appellants,
v.
CITY OF BERKELEY, a municipal corporation; and City of
Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board, Defendants-Appellees.

No. 85-2595.

United States Court of Appeals,
Ninth Circuit.

Argued and Submitted Aug. 14, 1986.
Decided April 10, 1987.

David A. Self, Oakland, Cal., for plaintiffs-appellants.

Timothy J. Lee, Berkeley, Cal., for defendants-appellees.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

Before NELSON, WIGGINS and NOONAN, Circuit Judges.

NELSON, Circuit Judge:

[*~1340]1

Appellants Amberhill Properties and Martin Overstreet ("Amberhill") own one hundred forty-four residential rental units located in Berkeley, California. Amberhill claimed that application of Berkeley's rent control ordinances denied them substantive due process, a fair return on investment, and constituted an unconstitutional "taking" of property. Amberhill brought an action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, without having first applied to the City of Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board ("Board") for an individual rent adjustment. The district court held, inter alia, that Amberhill could not bring an "as applied" challenge to the ordinances in federal court because Amberhill had not first exhausted the available agency avenues of relief.

2

Amberhill timely appealed, arguing that 1) it would have been futile to apply for an individual rent adjustment based on the erosive effects of inflation; 2) the $13,000 application fee was excessively burdensome; and 3) applying would have exposed Amberhill to penalties for noncompliance with various municipal regulations. We affirm.

DISCUSSION

3

We review de novo a district court's conclusion that an action is precluded by failure to exhaust administrative remedies. Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes v. Board of Oil & Gas, 792 F.2d 782, 787 (9th Cir.1986) (citing In re Castlerock Properties, 781 F.2d 159, 161 (9th Cir.1986)).

4

Amberhill did not seek an individual rent adjustment before bringing its action against the Board. Therefore, Amberhill's claim that applying for an adjustment would be futile is wholly speculative. Berkeley Municipal Code Sec. 13.76.120(I) provides that

5

No provision of this chapter shall be applied so as to prohibit the board from granting an individual rent adjustment that is demonstrated necessary by the landlord to provide the landlord with a fair return on investment.

6

If the Board cannot ensure a fair return on investment by applying existing regulations, it may even adopt new regulations to achieve a fair return. Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Regulations, Subchapter C, Sec. 1275. We believe that the Board thus possesses sufficient regulatory authority to grant Amberhill an individual rent adjustment if inflation has prevented a fair return on its investment. Therefore, Amberhill has not demonstrated that applying would be futile.

7

Amberhill's arguments regarding the excessiveness of the application fee and its potential exposure for regulatory violations are similarly unpersuasive. We do not speculate in the abstract as to whether the Board would charge Amberhill the entire application fee and whether applying would expose Amberhill to penalties for violations it would be unable to cure.

8

This result is consistent with the policy underlying our exhaustion requirement that "courts should not prematurely interfere with agency processes." Assiniboine, 792 F.2d at 791. Therefore, until the Board has an opportunity to consider whether Amberhill has been denied a fair return due to inflation and, if so, to use its regulatory powers to make an appropriate adjustment, we cannot decide whether application of these regulations to Amberhill would effect an unconstitutional "taking".

[*1340]9

The Supreme Court of California has determined that the Board must take inflation into account so as to prevent "unconstitutional confiscation." Fisher v. City of Berkeley, 37 Cal.3d 644, 684, 209 Cal.Rptr. 682, 714, 693 P.2d 261, 293 (1984). In oral argument before this court, the Board conceded: "Thus, to the extent that the erosive effect of inflation impacts on the receipt of a fair return on investment, it can and must be recognized by the Board in an individual rate adjustment petition." The Board's statement is binding on it in any further proceedings in this case.

[*~1341]10

AFFIRMED.