News: News

Filter

The Long Beach City Council on Tuesday will consider adopting thinly veiled forms of rent and eviction controls. Under the proposals, landlords would have to pay relocation assistance to tenants who receive certain termination notices and when tenants decide to move amid rent increases of 10 percent or more. Penalizing landlords for rent increases beyond a specified threshold is a method for capping rents, while forcing relocation payments after certain termination notices controls evictions.

Tagged: Long Beach

California lawmakers are again taking aim at the ability of landlords to terminate tenancies. February brought the introduction of two “just cause” for eviction bills  — AB 1481 by Assemblyman Rob Bonta, D-Alameda, and AB 1697 by Assemblyman Tim Grayson, D-Concord. AB 1481 marks Bonta’s second attempt to pass statewide “just cause” legislation in as many years. Both Grayson’s and Bonta’s proposals would limit evictions to certain causes, such as failure to pay rent, a substantial breach of the lease, or use of the property for illegal activity. Criminal activity unrelated to the rental unit, however, wouldn’t count as a “just cause” under… Read More

Tagged:

For the first time in a decade, the city of Los Angeles plans to bump up its annual cap on rent increases for rent controlled housing. During a 12-month period beginning in July, landlords with rent controlled units will be able to raise rents by up to 4 percent. The city has allowed rent increases on rent controlled housing just three times since 1993, the last time being in 2009, Curbed Los Angeles reported. For more information, see this flier from the L.A. Housing and Community Investment Department.

Tagged: Los Angeles

A newly introduced bill would authorize California tenants to use their rental units to provide shelter for people facing homelessness. Although the bill has not yet been finalized, AB 1188 by Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, D-Van Nuys, is expected to authorize renters to house an individual or family at risk of homelessness for up to 12 months, even if doing so would violate the lease.

Tagged:

Southern California landlords can soon receive increased rebates for installing high-efficiency toilets in qualifying apartments. The boosted rebates are part of an 18-month pilot program from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The program, which begins Monday, March 18, aims to replace 10,000 toilets in older multifamily housing and significantly increase water conservation in the region’s disadvantaged communities. The district’s rebate will grow from $40 to $250 for premium high-efficiency models. To qualify, the toilets (1.1 gallons per flush or less) must be installed in apartments built before 1994. Pre- and post-inspections required. Metropolitan is also providing $1.5 million… Read More

Tagged: Los AngelesSan DiegoOrange CountyGreater Inland Empire

Proposals that would require Santa Barbara landlords to offer yearlong leases and provide relocation assistance after certain types of displacement continued to move forward this week. On Tuesday, the city’s Ordinance Committee advanced the “right to a lease” and relocation fee proposals to the full City Council, which will consider adopting the measures in the coming months. The committee also voted 2-1 to ask the council to reconsider “just cause” eviction, a policy that the California Apartment Association opposes unequivocally.

Tagged: Los Angeles

A recently introduced bill would authorize tenant groups to orchestrate rent strikes without fear of eviction. SB 529 would allow tenant groups, after a majority vote, to withhold rent payments for up to 30 days in response to grievances or complaints against the landlord.

Tagged:

When Proposition 10 went down in defeat, the rental housing industry breathed a collective sigh of relief. Now, nearly four months after voters overwhelmingly rejected the statewide rent control initiative, a collective gasp may be in order. The California Legislature — where Democrats now hold a super majority in both houses — has introduced hundreds of rental housing-related bills for 2019, the largest such batch in decades. Unfortunately, an alarming number of those proposals would have negative ramifications on rental housing providers. In the paragraphs that follow, we review some of the worst offenders:

Tagged:

The Menlo Park City Council on Tuesday rejected “rent control in disguise” in favor of a more reasonable tenant relocation measure. The rejected proposal, labeled Alternative B, proposed to limit rent increases and restrict an owner’s ability to evict tenants unless the owner paid the tenant up to four times the monthly rent. It was developed by the city’s Housing Commission and modified and endorsed by Mayor Pro Tem Cecelia Taylor and Councilwoman Betsy Nash. Alternative B was criticized as “rent control in disguise” and failed to receive the three votes needed to pass. Instead, the City Council majority adopted… Read More

Tagged: Tri-County

As you consider prospective renters in 2019, remember that your applicant screening fee can only cover the expenses you incur in the process.

Tagged: