News: Posts by Mike Nemeth
Filter
The San Mateo City Council in September decided to create a task force to identify sensible ways to increase housing affordability.
The decision to form an advisory group of housing stakeholders came Monday, Sept. 21, following nearly six hours of presentations and public testimony at San Mateo City Hall.
This included comments from CAA Tri-County members with a variety of portfolio sizes. These members presented the council with facts and personal perspectives on the city’s housing market.
“CAA Tri-County would like to thank those who sent e-mails, made phone calls and attended the meeting on Monday night that went beyond… Read More
On a radio talk show Tuesday, CAA’s Debra Carlton extolled a bill that would provide tax credits to help landlords pay for seismic retrofits.
Carlton, senior vice president of public affairs for the California Apartment Association, discussed Assembly Bill 428 with host Larry Mantle on KPCC’s AirTalk.
AB 428 by Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian has passed the state Legislature and awaits Gov. Jerry Brown’s signature.
The legislation would allow a tax credit in an amount equal to 30 percent of the qualified costs paid or incurred by a qualified taxpayer for any seismic retrofit construction on a qualified building.
“It’s certainly… Read More
Tagged: Seismic Retrofitting
Question: I need to know the depreciation schedule of new carpeting in a home where the tenant lived for one year. The tenant put five cigarette burn holes in the carpet and spilled wax on the corner of this brand new carpet.
Answer: California’s security deposit law found in Civil Code Section 1950.5 states that the resident is responsible for damage above normal wear and tear. If the carpet needs to be replaced after one year and it should have lasted for five years, most judges will allow you to charge the resident 4/5 of the total replacement costs.
Question:… Read More
Tagged: ColumnsComplianceLegal Q&A
The California Apartment Association urges its members to attend the City Council meeting Monday in San Mateo, where officials will consider rent control and just-cause-for eviction policies.
These policies are in play just two weeks after the council rejected an emergency just-cause eviction measure.
Discussions of harmful regulations such as rent control and just-cause eviction distract from the real housing issues facing the region.
With this in mind, CAA Tri-County urges members to attend this meeting, speak against rent control and assure the City Council of your willingness to help address the city’s housing affordability issues through collaboration and voluntary… Read More
Landlords must tell tenants of their right to contest a rent increase
Before landlords raise rents in Alameda, they must now tell tenants about an appeal process offered by the city.
This requirement came Sept. 2 as an amendment to the city of Alameda’s rent-review ordinance, which has been in place for a number of years.
City leaders revised the law based on the belief that the review process is not well-known among tenants.
Under the update, a landlord must provide written notice of the appeal process at the same time that he or she provides a tenant notice of… Read More
You’ve likely heard of CAA fighting the spread of rent control at city halls around the Bay Area. Well, the effort to stem rent control is happening in the courts as well.
For the second time in recent months, CAA has gotten involved in a case centered on whether a change of tenancy occurs when parents move out of a rent controlled unit and their children, who never signed the lease because they were minors, stay behind as adults. [Read about the first case]
This is important because a change in tenancy allows for a rent controlled unit to return… Read More
Tagged: CourtsRent Control
By the time the 2015 legislative session wrapped up this past Saturday, the state Legislature had sent a number of rental housing-related bills to Gov. Jerry Brown for consideration.
Below are summaries of key rental-housing related bills that Brown signed – and others still awaiting a decision by the governor.
Signed by Gov. Brown
AB 418 (D-Chiu) – Domestic Violence – AB 418 reduces the time limit for a tenant (who is a victim of domestic violence) to give a notice of intent to vacate to the landlord from 30 days to 14 days. The bill originally required the landlord… Read More
Tagged: LegislationLegislative Summary
Question: We allow pets on our property but only in certain units. Sometimes there are no pet units available. Is this policy legal?
Answer: It is in the landlord’s discretion to allow or not allow pets or to allow them only in certain units. Just make sure your policy does not apply to assistive animals which are not considered pets.
Question: A tenant’s child broke a glass shower door. Can I charge the tenant for the repair of the door?
Answer: The tenant is liable for any damage done by its invitees, guests or other occupants of the premises. The… Read More
Tagged: ColumnsComplianceLegal Q&A
The Santa Rosa City Council on Tuesday will discuss a proposal that would force owners of rental properties to accept Section 8 vouchers.
The California Apartment Association’s North Coast Division has strong concerns about such a mandate, which would be premature as the courts review the legality of such ordinances. A copy of CAA’s letter to the Mayor and Council of Santa Rosa can be found here.
CAA is urging the council to instead work with rental property owners and managers to explore ways that incentivize acceptance of Section 8 vouchers and wait for the courts to rule on this… Read More