News: Posts by Mike Nemeth

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A big thank you goes out to all the California Apartment Association members who participated in CAA Greater Inland Empire’s Summer Scramble 2015. The money raised from the 21st annual golf tournament will enable CAA Greater Inland Empire to elect office-holders who understand CAA’s issues. This will help prevent costly policies that harm the rental housing industry and the businesses that support it. CAA sold out this year’s Summer Scramble, with 144 golfers plus sponsors at the Eagle Glen Golf Club in Corona. The event grossed roughly $65,000 for CAA political action in the Inland Empire. To learn more about… Read More

Tagged: Greater Inland Empire

A pair of pro-landlord bills that would help regulate short-term vacation rental companies such as Airbnb, HomeAway and Flipkey have advanced to the Senate floor. SB 761, sponsored by the California Apartment Association, would require online home-sharing sites to notify tenants that subletting their residence may constitute a lease violation. This bill, authored by Sen. Isadore Hall, D-Los Angeles, passed the Judiciary Committee this month. In California, most rental agreements prohibit subletting without the landlord’s permission. Many tenants who list properties on home-sharing sites, however, aren’t aware of this. The bill would require that short-term vacation rental companies do their… Read More

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In the face of California’s lingering drought, water rates are going up in Antioch, and sewer-rate increases could be on tap for the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District. On Tuesday, May 19, the Antioch City Council approved changes to its water and sewer rate schedule. The changes take effect July 1. This article in the Contra Costa Times explains how the rate adjustments will work. Notably, sewer rates for apartments will go down the first year, while rates for single-family homes will climb. On June 4, the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District board will hold a public hearing on its… Read More

Tagged: Contra Costa

Question: I rent out a three-bedroom home with a covered patio that I have turned into a fourth bedroom. There are four individual people renting. My question is, can I call it renting rooms or am I renting a house to four different people? Answer: It is better if you rent the house to all four under one lease with each tenant being “jointly and severally” liable, meaning they are individually responsible for the lease, as well as collectively. Question: We have a policy of allowing prospective tenants who have poor credit to qualify if they have a qualified guarantor… Read More

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The above photos come from  the second annual CAA Orange County Charity Gala, held April 22, at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. The event raised tens of thousands of dollars for a United Way program that will help move 12 families into their own apartments through “Rapid Rehousing.”

Tagged: Orange County

Landlords on Wednesday publicly argued against a proposal to expand San Jose’s rent control law. More than 30 rental property owners objected to City Councilman Raul Peralez’s plan, which would extend the reach of rent control in several ways. Most alarming, his proposal would limit rent increases to 4 percent annually, half of the current 8 percent cap. Some said this constraint would make it difficult to cover their own rising expenses. After all, no such caps are being proposed for utility bills, property repairs or city fees. The owners’ comments came during the City Council’s Rules and Open Government… Read More

Tagged: Tri-County

A bill that spells out what landlords and tenants need to do when confronted with a bed bug infestation is closer to becoming California law. The Assembly Judiciary Committee on Tuesday voted 7-0 in favor of Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian’s AB 551. The proposal from the Van Nuys Democrat comes as bed bug infestations continue to spike both in California and across the United States. Despite the spread of these bloodsucking pests, California law hasn’t adequately defined the role that apartment owners and renters must play in preventing and killing these bugs. Nazarian’s bill addresses this by offering specifics. And it… Read More

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Question: One of the recent applicants to our apartment community claims he is paid “under the table.” How do I verify his income? Answer: You really can’t, and because he is committing fraud, you should not consider this a legal source of income. If they fail to otherwise qualify, deny his rental application. Question: One of our tenants was recently arrested and has not paid the rent. We served a notice by “nail and mail,” and it has been over three days. How do we serve the unlawful detainer (eviction) on the tenant while in jail? Answer: Most jails will… Read More

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The California Apartment Association’s Tri-County Division is opposing a plan to make sweeping changes to San Jose’s rent control ordinance. The proposal, introduced today, Friday, May 8, comes from City Councilman Raul Peralez and would include: Reduce the current 8 percent limit on rent increases to 4 percent by January 2017. Explore the necessity of additional tenant protections, possibly including a just cause eviction law. Extend rent control to units built between 1979-1995. Prohibit discrimination based on source of income and potentially require rental owners accept Section 8 vouchers. CAA Tri-County believes that this proposal is unwarranted and won’t address… Read More

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The city of Santa Monica this week gave its blessing to an ordinance barring landlords from rejecting prospective tenants based on their Section 8 status. The council, which requested the proposal, took it up Tuesday. The measure would prohibit housing discrimination based on source of income, including Section 8 vouchers and other rent subsidies, according to the city’s website. The ordinance, passed by a 7-0 vote in its first reading, also would increase penalties tied to discrimination. See coverage in the Santa Monica Mirror and the Santa Monica Daily Press and video highlights from the hearing below. http://youtu.be/Sz5103wv_o4

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