A. All review hearings conducted by the hearing officer shall be conducted in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act, at Section 54950 et seq. of the California Government Code and according to the rules of the American Arbitration Association.

B. All interested parties to a hearing may have assistance from an attorney or such other person as may be designated by the parties in presenting evidence or in setting forth by argument their position. All witnesses shall be sworn in and all testimony shall be under penalty of perjury.

C. In the event that either the owner or the tenant(s) should fail to appear at the hearing at the specified time and place, the hearing officer may hear and review such evidence as may be presented and make such decisions as if all parties had been present.

D. Owner and affected tenants may offer any testimony, documents, written declarations or other relevant evidence.

E. Formal rules of evidence shall not apply.

F. Minutes shall be taken at all review hearings. (Ord. 1117 (part), 1988)