News: Posts by Mike Nemeth

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Question: A couple recently applied for one of our vacant units. They have jobs but do not quite qualify for the unit (they need to make three times the amount of the rent). They said that his father would be willing to co-sign as a guarantor in order to qualify. How should I work this arrangement on the lease? Answer: Guarantor agreements are separate and distinct from the lease and may be rendered void if the lease is modified without the knowledge or consent of the co-signor or guarantor. Carefully drafted guarantee agreements can eliminate this risk. Question: One of… Read More

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Home to Hollywood, fame and fashion, Los Angeles nurtures a culture of cool. But as the sun beats down on L.A., the city’s countless rooftops also emit oven-like heat. A law taking effect Oct. 1 seeks to change that. Under changes to the Los Angeles Green Building code, new homes in the city — including rentals —  must have so-called “cool roofs.” Los Angeles is the first major city with this requirement. These roofs use materials that reflect sunlight, helping buildings be more than 50 degrees cooler on the surface. During a hot day, the roofing can lower a building’s… Read More

Tagged: Los Angeles

Bed bugs make folks miserable – and misinformation is helping keep it that way. Many Americans still believe that bed bugs are more common in lower-income households. Or that they’re attracted to dirty homes. Both notions are wrong and only further a stigma that exacerbates this growing problem. At the same time, the Internet teems with false information about prevention and control. Websites encourage property owners and tenants alike to tackle the problem themselves. All the while, bed bugs multiply and spread. If you’re a rental housing professional, it’s your duty to get the facts on these bloodsucking creatures. You’ll… Read More

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Question: I am a manager of a 56-unit complex. One of the tenants informed me that his girlfriend moved in. I gave him an application and told him to have her fill it out and then return it to me. It has been 10 days, and I have not gotten it back. Answer: If the lease prohibits the assigning or subletting of the premises without your permission, you can serve a three-day notice to perform conditions and/or covenants or quit, detailing the violation. The notice should require that they either turn in the application, or she must vacate the property… Read More

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In 2014, the California Apartment Association helped kill a host of bad bills that would have, among other things, undermined the Ellis Act and encouraged jury trials in eviction disputes. And while CAA largely succeeded during the legislative session, a couple of bad bills made it to the governor’s desk.The fight continues – see our links to letters — as CAA and a broad coalition of business interests encourage Gov. Jerry Brown to veto the following two bills: Faulty legislation on the governor’s desk AB 1897 (D-Hernandez) – Labor: Client Liability: This bill would imposes strict liability on an employer… Read More

Tagged: Tri-County

Question: I recently purchased a triplex, and the escrow will be closing in a couple of days. The tenants are currently on a month-to-month rental agreement. Do I have to wait until the end of the month, or can I serve a 30-day notice as soon as I take possession of the property? Answer: You can serve a 30-day notice at any time in a month-to-month tenancy. You do not need to wait until the end of the month. You are also entitled to rent for the 30-day time period. If all of the tenants in the unit have been… Read More

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Adding affordable housing and improving existing housing in the San Bernardino area are key priorities for the California Apartment Association. With that in mind, CAA’s Greater Inland Empire Division has invested leadership power toward these dual goals – both at the county and city level. CAA now has executives on both San Bernardino County’s Housing Authority Commission – and the city’s Housing Policy Committee, which is overhauling every rental housing policy and ordinance on the book, some as far back as 1950. To bolster affordable housing in the county, Tim Johnson, executive director of the local CAA division, has been… Read More

Tagged: Greater Inland Empire

Against a backdrop of stunning automobiles, the East Bay’s rental housing stars got to shine at the GEMM Awards. The prestigious event, held Aug. 21 at the Blackhawk Museum in Danville, honored nearly 30 individuals, teams and properties for exhibiting excellence and professionalism. The 11th annual event was presented by CAA’s Contra Costa-Napa-Solano Division and the RHA Serving Southern Alameda. “Tonight is a special night,” Tom Bannon, chief executive officer for CAA, told hundreds of attendees. “For we again honor those who have gone above and beyond the norm and have reached a level of professionalism that sets the standard… Read More

Tagged: Rental Housing Assn. of Southern AlamedaTri-County

A number of positive bills for the rental housing industry await Gov. Jerry Brown’s approval after the 2014 legislative session came to a close this past weekend. The California Apartment Association helped push a variety of sensible legislation to the governor’s desk, such as a bill that clarifies that leases can be signed electronically, one that streamlines the approval process for water submeters and another that expedites the removal of squatters. Here’s a sampling of CAA’s successes in advancing positive bills: AB 2451 (Daly, D-Anaheim) – Water Submeters: This bill, co-sponsored by the CAA and the Utility Management and Conservation… Read More

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A proposed moratorium on apartment construction in Menifee appears to be off the table, at least for now. The City Council had been scheduled to hold a public hearing on the idea Wednesday, Aug. 20. But Councilman Wally Edgerton – who’d put the apartment building ban on the agenda – quickly backed off the proposal. Earlier that day, the California Apartment Association sent a letter to the council explaining why a moratorium would be bad for Menifee. CAA-Inland Empire Executive Director Tim Johnson also addressed the council. Johnson pointed out that renters spend 18 percent more than homeowners, generating higher… Read More

Tagged: Greater Inland Empire