(B) Fifty Percent (50%) Passthrough of Water Bill Charges Attributable to Water Increases Resulting From Issuance of Water System Improvement Revenue Bonds Authorized at the November 2002 Election. A landlord may pass through fifty percent (50%) of the water bill charges attributable to water rate increases resulting from issuance of Water System Improvement Revenue Bonds authorized at the November 2002 election (Proposition A), to any unit that is in compliance with any applicable laws requiring water conservation devices. The landlord is not required to file a petition with the Board for approval of such a cost passthrough. Such cost passthroughs are subject to the following:
(i) Affected tenants shall be given notice of any such passthrough as provided by applicable notice of rent increase provisions of this Chapter 37, including but not limited to Section 37.3(b)(3).
(ii) A tenant may file a hardship application with the Board, and be granted relief from all or part of such a cost passthrough.
(iii) If a tenant's hardship application is granted, the tenant's landlord may utilize any available Public Utilities Commission low-income rate discount program or similar program for water bill reduction, based on that tenant's hardship status.
(iv) A landlord shall not impose a passthrough pursuant to Section 37.3(a)(5)(B) if the landlord has filed for or received Board approval for a rent increase under Section 37.8(e)(4) for increased operating and maintenance expenses in which the same increase in water bill charges attributable to water rate increases resulting from issuance of any water revenue bonds authorized at the November 5, 2002 election was included in the comparison year cost totals.