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In mid-June, the city of Santa Rosa is expected to impose a moratorium on rent increases of more than 3 percent on the city’s older multifamily housing. The measure, which won preliminary approval from the council Tuesday, May 10, is intended to limit rent increases while city staff drafts a permanent rent control and just-cause eviction ordinance, a process that could take several months. Greenlighted on a 4-2 vote, the temporary ordinance applies the 3 percent rent cap cumulatively over a 12-month period. So, while the moratorium is in effect, a landlord who’s already increased rent by 3 percent or… Read More

Tagged: North Bay

Legislation that would encourage prospective hosts to review their insurance policies before getting into the home-sharing business has advanced to the Senate floor. Senate Bill 1092 would require companies such as Airbnb, HomeAway and Flipkey to post disclosures about the importance of confirming insurance coverage related to short-term rentals. The bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, May 3, by a 6-0 vote. The insurance notice builds on a disclosure required under legislation sponsored by the California Apartment Association last year. That legislation, SB 761, requires that short-term rental companies post a notice advising tenants to check their rental… Read More

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Question: A resident is suspected of violating their lease agreement by having an unauthorized occupant and does not want to add that person to the lease. What is the best method of verifying the unauthorized person’s residency? Answer: You should require that they fill out an application and apply for the unit. If they are approved then they should sign the lease. If they refuse, a three-day notice to perform conditions/covenants or quit should be served, and if they still fail to comply, commence the eviction process. Question: We have problems with tenants requesting repairs on the appliances. We inspect… Read More

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The San Jose City Council next week will consider an aggressive timeline for rolling out harsher rent control policies. The implementation date and other issues related to San Jose’s Apartment Rent Ordinance will come up when the council meets Tuesday, May 10. Two weeks ago, the City Council voted 6-5 to lower maximum annual rent increases on rent controlled units from 8 percent to 5 percent. City officials had been considering a moratorium on rent growth until the harsher rules take effect, but according to the San Jose Mercury News, that idea is being shelved. “We decided that it might… Read More

Tagged: Tri-County

A CAA-sponsored bill clarifying that landlords can prohibit renters from smoking marijuana in apartments is halfway to becoming law. On Thursday, April 5, the Assembly approved AB 2300 on a 74-0 vote, sending it to the state Senate. “This is about protecting families that live in close proximity to others,” the author of the bill,  Assemblyman Jim Wood, D-Healdsburg, said last week in a statement. “Second-hand smoke can be a real problem, especially for families who live in apartments or other multi-family residences.” In 2011, the California Apartment Association sponsored, and the state Legislature overwhelmingly passed, legislation to allow rental… Read More

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Under a bill heading to the Assembly floor, the California Apartment Association could bring legal action against a local government that denies housing projects in violation of state law. The CAA-sponsored proposal, AB 2584, advances to the floor after winning unanimous approval Tuesday in the Assembly Judiciary Committee. CAA sponsored this bill as California struggles for solutions to its unprecedented housing crisis, which has resulted from a severe lack of new housing construction, both market rate and affordable. The bill, authored by Assemblyman Tom Daly, D-Anaheim, expands the enforcement of the Housing Accountability Act by allowing groups that represent tenants… Read More

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Despite over six hours of public comment from stakeholders and strong opposition from local rental owners, the Santa Rosa City Council on May 3 voted 4-3 to direct city staff to draft a rent control and just-cause eviction ordinance. “CAA North Coast would like to thank our members that attended the meeting and spoke out against rent control and just-cause evictions,” said Mallori Spilker,  local CAA executive director. “Your advocacy efforts are greatly appreciated.” A rent control ordinance would prohibit rent increases from exceeding a fixed percentage annually, which was determined to be 3 percent. Rent control would only apply… Read More

Tagged: North Bay

Question: We normally keep original rental agreements, however, when would a copy not suffice? Answer: The court requires the original unless it is lost; so you have to either produce it or testify under penalty of perjury that the original was lost without fraudulent intent. Court action is the main reason why you should keep originals. Question: One of our tenants had a problem with the garage gate at a complex we manage. Apparently the gate closed on his car without notice. We suspect that what he is telling us is true because we have experienced a similar problem ourselves.  … Read More

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The California Apartment Association applauds a proposal unveiled by state lawmakers this week to help families struggling to keep up with rising rents. The plan, announced Monday by members of the Democratic Assembly Caucus, would dedicate more than $1.3 billion to address the state’s housing affordability crisis. While California has seen explosive job growth, state and local governments have failed to allow enough new housing to accommodate the influx of new workers. As the resulting housing shortage led to higher rental prices, state and federal funding to develop and preserve of affordable homes has plummeted by 79 percent. The result… Read More

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A CAA-sponsored bill clarifying that landlords can prohibit renters from smoking marijuana in apartments passed a key committee this week. The bill, AB 2300, advanced Tuesday from the Assembly Judiciary Committee on a 10-0 vote. The next stop for the bill is the Assembly floor. “This is about protecting families that live in close proximity to others,” the author of the bill,  Assemblyman Jim Wood, D-Healdsburg, said in a statement. “Second-hand smoke can be a real problem, especially for families who live in apartments or other multi-family residences.” In 2011, the California Apartment Association sponsored, and the state Legislature overwhelmingly… Read More

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