News: Posts by Mike Nemeth
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The Concord City Council this week rejected a proposal to temporarily cap rent increases at 3 percent per year.
The urgency measure Tuesday received two yes votes but needed four to pass. The failure of the proposed 45-day rent-increase moratorium came amid a cooldown in the Bay Area’s rental housing market. In Concord, rents have recently dropped for one-bedroom and three-bedroom units.
“I really can’t, in my heart, find the urgency issue citywide,” said Mayor Hoffmeister, as reported in this East Bay Times article.
Concord staff will now look into creating a mediation program to help resolve disputes between tenants… Read More
Tagged: Rent Control Contra Costa
Question: I had a police officer visit my rental office and request information such as Social Security numbers, addresses, and birth dates on three of my residents. I told him that I would be unable to provide this information, as it was confidential. Was I correct in denying a law enforcement officer this information?
Answer: You did the right thing. California law protects against the disclosure of an individual’s information, based on the right to privacy. Therefore, if law enforcement is requesting information on a former or current tenant, management should not disclose any information absent a subpoena.
Tagged: ColumnsComplianceLegal Q&A
The California Apartment Association has updated its month-to-month rental agreement and lease agreement to address California’s legalization of recreational marijuana use.
CAA added wording to these agreements to prohibit the smoking of marijuana in rental housing. Click here for an FAQ on the legalization of recreational marijuana, which came with the passage of Proposition 64 in the Nov. 8 election. The agreements also now contains provisions for banning the use of electronic cigarettes, also known as vaping, as well as a mandatory bedbug notice.
These revisions, plus updates to several other forms, are in response to court cases, laws taking… Read More
CAA’s supplement to the 9th Edition of Managing Rental Housing has been updated to reflect laws and forms from both 2016 and 2017. Click the headline above to access it.
Tagged: News
The California Apartment Association’s offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 24, and Friday, Nov. 25, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Normal operating hours will resume Monday, Nov. 28.
Tagged: News
After addressing CAA’s concerns, the cities of San Bruno and South San Francisco have approved ordinances prohibiting smoking inside multifamily units and common areas.
On Nov. 9, the South San Francisco City Council approved the second reading of its ordinance after adopting clarifications and other requests from the California Apartment Association, Tri-County Division. Those revisions include the following, which provide clarity and minimize impacts to property owners and operators:
Phase-in period of up to 12 months
Ability for owners to create designated smoking areas
No requirements of installing customized signage inside apartment units
Tagged: NewsSmoking Tri-County
If you own property in Mountain View and planned on evicting a problem tenant, put those plans on hold.
On Tuesday morning, the City Council approved an urgency just-cause eviction ordinance — and it took effect immediately.
Question: I have an ongoing unlawful detainer against one of my tenants but he/she is continuing to create a disturbance at the property. Is there any way that the unlawful detainer can be expedited?
Answer: Unfortunately, no. However, a restraining order may be available in extreme cases. If the tenant is engaging in a serious or criminal disturbance, call the police.
Tagged: ColumnsComplianceLegal Q&A
Now that California voters have legalized the recreational use of marijuana, you might be wondering whether you can still prohibit tenants from smoking it on your property.
Anticipating that question and several others, the California Apartment Association has prepared an FAQ on Proposition 64, which voters approved Nov. 8.
Check out our members-only compliance document, “California Marijuana Legalization: Questions & Answers,” by clicking the button below.
In addition to publishing an FAQ, the Association will discuss Prop. 64 during its New Laws Webinar on Dec. 1.
Also on Dec. 1, CAA will release its rental agreement for 2017. This agreement… Read More
Tagged: Elections
In San Bernardino County, District 1 Supervisor Robert Lovingood, a pro-business candidate supported by CAA’s political action committee, became the first incumbent to be re-elected in 20 years.
In Riverside County, voters decided to keep Chuck Washington as their District 3 supervisor. Washington had been appointed to the seat by Gov. Jerry Brown. CAA Greater Inland Empire supported Washington, who is keenly aware of the need for high-density housing in Riverside County.
In the city of San Bernardino, voters overwhelmingly passed Measure L, which was supported by CAA Greater Inland Empire, the mayor and six of seven council members. Measure… Read More
Tagged: Elections Greater Inland Empire