News: Posts by Mike Nemeth
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Five regional industry organizations, including the California Apartment Association, have joined forces to lead opposition against a proposed ballot measure that would bring rent control to the city of Sacramento.
“Rent control is the wrong solution to our shortage of affordable housing in the region,” said Jim Lofgren, CAA senior vice president for the North Valley region. “We need to attract more investment in housing, and rent control only scares it away. It’s counterproductive.”
CAA supports sensible solutions to California’s housing crisis, such as the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act, a state measure on the November 2018 ballot that… Read More
Tagged: Rent Control Sacramento Valley
To help address California’s ongoing housing shortage, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have turned their attention to the California Environmental Quality Act.
While the landmark land-use law is intended to protect the environment, CEQA often hinders the development of housing. CEQA also has become a favorite tool of no-growth advocates, who frequently file lawsuits under CEQA simply to delay or stop housing projects.
A pair of bills by Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, would help protect housing projects from such frivolous legal challenges.
Tagged: Legislation
The Glendale City Council on Tuesday held off on a proposal that would require owners of rental housing to offer leases to prospective tenants.
The council was scheduled to consider a proposed “right to lease” ordinance as an expansion to its just-cause eviction law, which the city passed in 2002.
Tagged: Just Cause Eviction Los Angeles
Question: Is there a clear definition of what constitutes “ordinary wear and tear?” My husband and I are spending day and night trying to clean and repair our once-beautiful home we rented out and need to know how much to charge back to the residents.
Answer: There are not many legal guidelines on this issue, so many judges use what they consider a common-sense approach. We advise landlords to seek an opinion from the manufacturer of drapes, carpets, and appliances as to their expected lifetime assuming ordinary wear and tear. If the item needs replacing before that time, you can… Read More
Tagged: ColumnsComplianceLegal Q&A
The California Apartment Association has identified three noteworthy bills to help address the state’s growing homelessness crisis.
SB 918 by State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, would establish $60 million in grants from the cannabis tax and other funds to provide rental assistance, transitional housing and shelters for homeless youth.
The bill would also streamline the state’s efforts to combat homelessness among minors.
Tagged: HomelessnessLegislation
Joseph A. Lawton Jr., president of the California Apartment Association’s statewide board of directors, took the oath of office Thursday during the association’s March 1 board meeting.
Tagged: Leadership
While California’s economy continues to grow, the expansion has slowed considerably amid the state’s ongoing housing crisis and an ensuing labor shortage, according to a pair of reports released today by the California Apartment Association.
CAA’s Industry Intelligence Report for Northern California (available here) and a corresponding report for Southern California (available here) use both statewide and regionally specific data to explore the connections between the state’s lack of housing, a depleted workforce and dimmed prospects for economic growth. Beacon Economics prepared both reports.
Tagged: Economy
Question: Can you tell me if someone needs any kind of certification or license to manage property in California? I want to hire someone to manage some of my smaller (less than 10 units) buildings. This person will accept rent, give out notices, handle complaints, and supervise maintenance work.
Answer: They are required to be a licensed real estate broker in order to manage property in California for a third party. An exception is for a manager who lives on-site.
Tagged: ColumnsComplianceLegal Q&A
A bill introduced last week would once again extend a California pilot program that helps rid apartment communities of tenants in who are in the illegal possession of guns, ammo or drugs.
The pilot program, which applies only to certain jurisdictions, allows prosecutors and city attorneys to initiate the eviction process, at a landlord’s request, to stop nuisances involving unlawful weapons, ammunition or drugs. The program allows those evictions to be based on law enforcement paperwork, such as an arrest report, and affects the cities of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Sacramento and Oakland.
Tagged: Legislation
Lawmakers last week introduced a plethora of rental housing-related bills, including legislation that would double the renters’ tax credit, mandate training for landlords, and help remove gun-owning tenants from apartment buildings.
These are just some of the landlord-tenant related proposals introduced before the Feb 16 legislative filing deadline.
The tax credit bill, SB 1182 by state Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, would increase the credit to $120 for renters filing their taxes as individuals and $240 for joint filers. It would be the first increase in the credit since 1979.
“This increase is long overdue,” Glazer said in a statement. “The… Read More
Tagged: LegislationLegislative Summary