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Wasting water could cost California landlords and tenants hundreds of dollars and constitute a criminal infraction. This week, the state’s Water Resources Control Board made violating some water conservation measures akin to a traffic ticket. About the measure In light of California’s severe drought — and insufficient water conservation over the past several months — the California Water Resources Control Board has banned the following: Washing down driveways and sidewalks Watering of outdoor landscapes that cause excess runoff Using a hose to wash a motor vehicle, unless the hose is fitted with a shut-off nozzle Using potable water in a… Read More

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The California Apartment Association’s property management webinar series returns this month, imparting the knowledge needed to successfully manage rental housing while offering newly approved CalBRE continuing education credits. Students who complete the Fair Housing: It’s the Law (PMR107) or Ethics in Property Management (PMR108) will now earn continuing-education credits from the California Bureau of Real Estate. Each webinar is worth three hours of credit in the fair housing and ethics categories, respectively. Take both for six hours of credit. More information. Completing the entire series, which consists of nine courses, makes students eligible for CCRM certification, the gold standard in… Read More

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Halfway through 2014, California lawmakers are a week into their summer recess. You can probably picture it: Legislators back home, updating constituents at town hall meetings and Rotary luncheons, talking up bills they authored, stumped for and stomped down. At the California Apartment Association, we’re as eager as anyone to talk about our continued successes during the past six months in Sacramento. With guidance from CAA’s Legislative Steering Committee, CAA analyzed and lobbied for or against more than 70 bills that could help or hurt the rental housing industry. As you’ll see below, we have had great success stopping the… Read More

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When the city of Antioch needed help passing a half-cent sales tax last year, the California Apartment Association answered the call. As CAA members generously supported the city’s Measure C campaign, the Antioch City Council chose not to place a residential landlord business license tax on the same ballot. Thanks in part to the rental housing industry’s political support, the sales tax initiative sailed to victory in November, and Antioch began collecting additional revenue in April. Through the measure, Antioch expects to collect a little over $4 million. The City Council promised to spend the money fighting crime, hiring 22… Read More

Tagged: Contra Costa

The California Apartment Association’s South Coast Division presented a $50,000 check Tuesday, July 8, to help reduce homelessness in Orange County. The money, raised at a charity gala in May, went to the Orange County United Way for the Rapid Rehousing Initiative. “With our support, Rapid Rehousing will be able to help get kids and their families out of unstable housing situations, from shelters, motels, or living with too many people in an apartment, into their own apartments they can call home,” Melinda Graham, CAA South Coast’s board chairwoman, has said. Related coverage CAA South Coast gala raises tens of… Read More

Tagged: Orange County

The nominating period for the 2015 CAA Board of Directors is underway. Applications are due by noon Monday, July 21, 2014. Pertinent documents are accessible below: Memo from Nominating Committee Chair, Laura Khouri CAA Board of Directors’ Responsibilities, Code of Ethics and Current Planning Objectives 2015 CAA Board of Directors Application

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Question: I served a three-day notice to pay rent or quit on a tenant, and the renter paid with a personal check. The check has since bounced. Do I need to serve another three-day notice to pay rent or quit? Answer: The bounced check is not payment, so you can file on the original three-day notice. Question: Can I accept rent after serving a notice for an issue other than payment? For example: an unauthorized occupant notice. Answer: You should always check with a knowledgeable attorney to determine whether you should accept rent or not if the notice served was… Read More

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Question: A resident at my property was taken to the hospital and passed away. Since the lease requires a 30-day notice, what is the law as far as reimbursement of the deposit? Answer: When a tenant passes, the month-to-month tenancy is terminated 30 days from the date of the decedent’s last rent payment. Therefore, you have 21 days from that date to account for the security deposit assuming that you have taken over possession of the unit. If anyone else is claiming a right to possession, you would need to go through the eviction process. Question: We rent garages out… Read More

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Riverside County has stepped back from plans to more than double the developer fees earmarked for county jail beds – at least for now. Early this month, the Board of Supervisors postponed a vote to rework its developer fee schedule after hearing concerns from the California Apartment Association and the local building industry, The Press Enterprise reported in this article. Under the proposal, the total fee for single-family homes would drop from $4,651 to $4,318, but the amount to deal with jail crowding would balloon from $392 to $885. Developer fees help pay for infrastructure needs caused by new residential… Read More

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A California law taking effect July 1 aims to eventually phase out smoke detectors that take replaceable batteries. For now, however, landlords just need to make sure they’re existing smoke alarms are working.  So don’t go ripping your nine-volt powered smoke alarm from the ceiling. The law first focuses on the folks selling smoke detectors. It says battery-powered smoke alarms sold in the Golden State must have non-replaceable, non-removable batteries that last for at least 10 years. This regulation, however, has a yearlong exception that will keep old-fashioned-but-in-stock smoke detectors from going to waste. Property owners, managing agents, contractors, wholesalers… Read More

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