News: Posts by Mike Nemeth

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A bill threatening to undermine a landlord’s right to leave San Francisco’s rental housing business is scheduled for an important committee hearing early next month. SB 364 by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, goes before the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee at 1:30 p.m. April. 7. The bill takes aim at the Ellis Act, landmark legislation passed in 1985 that bars local governments from making property owners stay in the apartment business. Before the Ellis Act was passed in 1985, rent-controlled cities — Santa Monica in particular —  were forcing landlords to stay in business, even if they were losing… Read More

Tagged: San Francisco Apartment Association

After hearing from about 20 landlords about the pitfalls of rent control, San Mateo County supervisors Tuesday expressed unease regarding the policy. While reluctant to pursue this approach, supervisors stopped short of scrapping the idea, asking staff to return with more information on how rent control works. In the meantime, the board will explore more sensible methods to boost housing affordability, including ideas supported by the California Apartment Association. Related content: San Mateo County supervisors deal blow to rent control hopes (Daily Democrat) Rent control enthusiasm low: San Mateo County supervisors support other proposals to address housing crisis (The Daily… Read More

Tagged: Tri-County

Huntington Beach officials on Monday rejected a moratorium on apartment development along an important stretch of the city. The City Council voted 4-2, with one abstention, against halting apartment construction in the Beach-Edinger Corridor Specific Plan. The council, however, directed staff to reduce the number of units that can be developed along the Beach Boulevard and Edinger Avenue corridors. “This is a reasonable direction considering the alternative,” said Tommy Thompson, executive director of the California Apartment Association’s Orange County Division. “This vote came after a successful advocacy effort on the part of CAA and our coalition partners.” Related content: Opinion:… Read More

Tagged: Orange County

A small group of CAA Greater Inland Empire members broke bread with California state Assemblywoman Cheryl Brown and Assemblyman Freddie Rodriguez last week. The event, Friday, March 13, at the Ontario Double Tree, marked the CAA division’s first Leadership Roundtable of 2015. The Roundtable came just a few days after CAA’s Legislative Conference, at which members from throughout the state visited with lawmakers at the Capitol. Although the Inland Empire delegation was unable to meet with Brown in Sacramento because of a scheduling conflict, the Roundtable provided another opportunity to meet with the lawmaker. Brown took more than an hour… Read More

Tagged: Greater Inland Empire

At CAA’s Northern California Expo next month, attendees will have a bevvy of educational offerings to choose from. CAA Connect – Northern California Rental Housing Conference & Expo will offer classes in everything from the fair housing law to dealing with diffuclt tenants to properly handling the eviction process. The event comes to the Santa Clara Convention Center on Wednesday, April 8. Peruse the courses CAA will offer by clicking the “Learn More” button below. Details include the course schedule, summaries of each class and names of the instructors.

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Question: While on vacation, my assistant was responsible for serving three-day notices to pay rent or quit in the apartment community we manage. She forgot to sign the notices. Is this a fatal defect? Answer: California law does not specifically require the manager or owner to sign notices served on tenants. While signing is the recommended practice, an unsigned notice should still be held to be sufficient. Question: I have been a resident manager for over four years and would like to know what a manager can do other than evict when a tenant continues to cause disturbances, e. g.… Read More

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About 200 property management professionals from throughout California converged on Sacramento on Tuesday, gaining key insights into bills that could affect their businesses. Brimming with knowledge about the proposals, they then headed to the Capitol to sit down with lawmakers and discuss their concerns. These grass-roots activities helped define the California Apartment Association’s annual Legislative Conference. The daylong event began at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown, where CAA’s government affairs team explained why landlords should care about some of the most visceral bills introduced this session. Among the highest profile proposals for CAA are those dealing with short-term vacation rentals,… Read More

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The California Apartment Association has identified nine top-priority bills for the rental housing industry in the 2015 legislative session. This coming Tuesday, attendees of CAA’s Legislative Conference will learn more about the proposals below, and in the afternoon, discuss them with lawmakers during a visit to the Capitol.   POSITIVE BILLS 1. Airbnb, short-term vacation rentals; warns tenants of possible lease violation SB 761 by Sen. Isadore Hall, D-Los Angeles This bill is sponsored by the California Apartment Association and would require short-term vacation rental websites such as Airbnb to provide disclosures to prospective tenants. The past few years have… Read More

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Question: One of our tenant’s dogs is constantly barking and growling at anyone who passes by their apartment. It has scared many of the other residents and they have complained numerous times. I have explained that the lease allows pets. What can I do? Answer: If the dog is disturbing other residents and is not being properly restrained, it probably is a violation of your lease if it contains a clause requiring tenants to refrain from unreasonable annoyances or disturbances. If this is the case, you could enforce the lease through a notice to perform or quit. It is also… Read More

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When tenants sublet their apartments or single-family homes — even for a weekend – they may be violating their rental agreements and could even be evicted for it. In California, most rental agreements prohibit subletting without the landlord’s permission. Many tenants who engage in the practice, however, are none the wiser. The California Apartment Association believes that companies like Airbnb, which have helped drive the burgeoning short-term rental business model, could do more to educate tenants. Legislation sponsored by CAA aims to address that. On Friday, Feb. 27, state Sen. Isadore Hall, D-Los Angeles, introduced SB 761, which ultimately will… Read More

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