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A second federal judge has challenged the CDC’s nationwide eviction moratorium, but the ruling won’t change anything about California’s COVID-19 eviction restrictions. On March 10, a federal judge in Cleveland concluded that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exceeded its authority by imposing its nationwide eviction ban. In February, a federal judge in Texas also found that the CDC lacked the power to prohibit evictions, saying only states and local governments have such authority.

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Rental housing providers and residents can now begin applying for Covid-19-related rental assistance through the State of California. The program, administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, will pay landlords 80% of the past due rent owed between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, by eligible households. The application process opened at 5 p.m. Monday, March 15, and is accessible through this online portal. The rental assistance money comes from a pandemic-recovery package approved by Congress late last year. It includes $1.4 billion that went to the state, while $1.2 billion headed to “entitlement districts,” which… Read More

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A bill cosponsored by the California Apartment Association seeks to streamline the appeals process for affordable housing developers when local governments violate California’s Housing Accountability Act. Under the state’s Housing Accountability Act, cities and counties are prohibited from rejecting affordable housing developments unless certain conditions exist. Yet officials frequently reject projects in defiance of the law. The story usually stops there. Most developers are reluctant to challenge a city or county in court because of the required time, expenses, and uncertainty. Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel AB 989 by Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, D-Van Nuys, seeks to remedy this situation by creating a… Read More

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President Biden on Thursday signed a Covid-19 stimulus package – labeled the American Rescue Plan — that will earmark an additional $2.2 billion in emergency rental assistance for California. Besides the rent relief, California is expected to receive $1.2 billion in homeowner assistance, $590 million in funding to address homelessness, as well as money for areas including schools, vaccines and transit systems.

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Legislation approved last year will make it easier to determine allowable annual rent increases under AB 1482, the Tenant Protection Act of 2019. The Tenant Protection Act restricts rent increases in any 12-month period to no more than 5% plus the percentage change in the cost of living (CPI), or 10%, whichever is lower. The law defined the “percentage change in the cost of living” as the percentage from April 1 of the prior year to April 1 of the current year. This created problems with calculating rent increases because the April figures are often not available until June. Landlords… Read More

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Thanks to the efforts of the California Apartment Association, multifamily operators in the city of Los Angeles can delay paying this year’s steep increase in waste-hauling charges for several months. This year’s ill-timed fee hike – 6.15% — came amid a pandemic that has left many city landlords unable to collect rent for nearly a year.

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Gov. Newsom on Thursday allowed statewide protections against rent-gouging triggered by the COVID-19 state of emergency to lapse, however, other protections against raising rents by more than 10% – triggered by other emergency declarations – remain in effect. The rent-gouging protections that expired stem from Newsom’s COVID-19 emergency declaration issued one year ago today. Newsom allowed price-gouging protections triggered by the COVID-19 state of emergency to expire for all consumer goods except emergency and medical supplies, which will continue to be covered until Sept. 4, 2021. The protections come from Penal Code Section 396, which is activated during states of… Read More

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The California Apartment Association this year is again sponsoring legislation to put a dent in the state’s ongoing housing shortage. One of the bills, SB 621 by Sen. Susan Eggman, D-Stockton, would encourage the conversion of vacant hotels and motels into multifamily housing. Assemblywoman Susan Eggman Vacant hotels and motels often are located close to where people live and work. Converting the unused buildings would help revitalize economically depressed spaces, generate jobs, unlock commercial corridors, and rejuvenate communities. The bill would create a streamlined ministerial process for converting hotels and motels into apartment buildings. The process would include objective planning… Read More

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Trying to determine when and where to apply for California’s Rental Assistance Payment Program? It really depends on the location of your property. In some cities and counties, rental housing providers and residents can begin applying for funding now through a local rental assistance program. In other cities and counties, they must wait for the state to open its application process. That process must begin by March 15. Check out CAA’s new webpage on rental assistance. You’ll find an Industry Insights paper, an FAQ and a county-by-county chart that spells out when and where to apply for rental aid.

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The California Apartment Association will hold a webinar next week to help rental housing providers navigate the state’s Rental Assistance Payment Program, which will begin taking applications by mid-month. You can now register for the webinar at one of two timeslots: 11 a.m. or 3 p.m. Thursday, March 11. The application process for the Rental Assistance Payment Program will open by March 15, 2021. The program, administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, will pay landlords 80% of the past due rent owed by eligible households. Join CAA and housing agency staff for an overview of the… Read More

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