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A recent report from Concord city staff lauds the city’s current rent-review and multifamily-inspection programs for helping renters stay in their homes and improving their living conditions.
The staff report, presented to the City Council on Nov. 27, highlights the mediation program’s success rate. Since the inception of the rent-review program in June 2017, the city has received 25 cases, two of which are pending. Of the 23 closed mediation cases, 83 percent reached a positive resolution to the disputes, with tenants receiving a lower rent increase than originally offered, or with tenants staying in their residence.
The city’s analysis… Read More
Sacramento Vice Mayor Steve Hansen presented his Tenant Protection and Relief Act to members attending the CAA Sacramento Valley luncheon on Tuesday, Oct. 16.
The proposed ordinance would establish a mediation process allowing tenants the option to dispute annual rent increases exceeding 6 percent. It also would require landlords to offer tenants the option of an 18-month lease.
Hansen explained that City Councilmen Eric Guerra and Rick Jennings serve as co-authors of the proposal. Like Hansen, they consider the proposal a reasonable alternative to rent control and just-cause tenancy termination restrictions. All three want to protect tenants from arbitrary evictions,… Read More
Tagged: Rent Control Sacramento Valley
An initiative to bring rent control to the city of Sacramento has qualified for the March 2020, however, a legal challenge could prevent the measure from ever appearing before voters.
Last week, Sacramento election officials announced that rent control proponents had submitted the 36,817 valid voter signatures required to qualify the measure for the next general election.
Tagged: News Sacramento Valley
Landlords losing the ability to use Ratio Utility Billing Systems on San Jose’s rent-controlled housing have just a few weeks left to apply for a one-time offset.
The petition period for the offset opened on July 5 and closes on Oct. 31. Any petition received after Oct. 31 will not be considered.
If landlords currently using RUBS are granted an offset, they’ll be permitted to add a portion of their RUBS charge to the tenant’s monthly base rent.
Tagged: Utility Rates Tri-County
Menlo Park is conducting public outreach on a proposal that would bring a form of rent control to the city.
Under a plan pitched by the Menlo Park Housing Commission, rental property owners would be forced to pay relocation payments triggered by a “significant rent increase” or a “landlord-caused termination.”
Such requirements would create a form of rent control and just-cause eviction in Menlo Park, respectively.
“Not only is this proposal a major hindrance to landlords and a dangerous step towards rent control, but it deviates entirely from the direction the City Council advised upon in January of 2017,” said… Read More
After resoundingly rejecting rent control and just-cause eviction proposals in October 2017, the city of Palo Alto early Tuesday morning adopted a relocation-assistance emergency ordinance for no-fault evictions.
Since the ordinance was adopted as an emergency, it took effect immediately following the City Council’s vote. The new law only applies to rental properties with 50 or more units.
Under the new law, affected property owners can continue to remove tenants without cause. However, a relocation payment to the household of up to $20,000 will be required if the household makes up to 100 percent of the area median income, or… Read More
Concerned about its aging housing stock, Citrus Heights will establish a proactive inspection program to ensure the proper maintenance of rental properties in the city.
The program will be funded by fees on rental properties, with inspections of both single-family and multifamily units beginning in July 2019.
On a 4-1 vote on Aug. 9, the City Council directed city staff to draft an ordinance for adoption before the end of the year. Councilman Bret Daniels, who cast the lone vote against the motion, questioned the need to create a proactive inspection program. He pointed to data that indicated only 2… Read More
Tagged: InspectionsNews Sacramento Valley
Taking a cue from the voters of Santa Rosa, the City Council this week backed away from a proposal to explore a rent control ordinance.
Tagged: Rent Control North Bay
After a petition to put rent control on the November ballot in Santa Rosa failed to qualify last week, several elected officials are ready to discuss passing their own ordinance at City Hall.
The Santa Rosa City Council on Tuesday, Aug. 7, is scheduled to discuss the possible adoption of a city-drafted rent control ordinance. The California Apartment Association is calling on members to attend the meeting and voice their opposition.
“Your voice is needed to tell the City Council to focus on real solutions to rebuild Santa Rosa and stop wasting time on policies that are proven to fail,”… Read More
Tagged: ElectionsRent Control North Bay
Although a rent control measure could be headed for the Nov. 6 ballot in Santa Rosa, a movement on the City Council is afoot to explore a rent control ordinance at City Hall as well.
On Tuesday, the council was scheduled to discuss a potential rent control ordinance, spurring members of the California Apartment Association to attend the meeting to voice their opposition.
The mayor ultimately pulled the item from the agenda, and it is unclear whether the council will revisit it.
Talk of a possible rent control ordinance from the City Council comes as election officials count and verify… Read More
Tagged: ElectionsNewsRent Control North Bay