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CALIFORNIA APARTMENT ASSOCIATION’S SAFE AT HOME GUIDELINES Although California is slowly reopening its economy, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to create health challenges and financial adversity throughout the state. In response to these lingering difficulties, the California Apartment Association this week extended its Safe at Home Guidelines by one month. Instead of expiring May 31, the guidelines will remain in place through June 30. Landlords are encouraged to: Freeze rents on all residents & pledge to not issue any rent increases. Halt evictions on renters affected by COVID-19, absent extraordinary circumstances. Waive late fees for residents who pay rent after the rent due date… Read More

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A CAA-sponsored bill designed to lower the property taxes of landlords who’ve suffered financial damages due to COVID-19 has passed out of the Assembly Government and Finance Committee. SB 1431 by Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, advanced on a 4-3 vote Thursday and now heads to the Appropriations Committee. Sen. Steven Glazer Glazer’s bill would clear the way for landlords to request property tax reassessments based on financial losses attributable to the virus. Specifically, these damages would be calculated by taking into consideration the loss of rent and other tenant protections imposed by governments in response to the outbreak. In response… Read More

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Question: After a tenant moves out and gives their change of address to the post office, how long are the landlords responsible for any correspondence that may still arrive at their former address?

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The California Apartment Association has defeated a proposal to extend Los Angeles County’s emergency eviction moratorium until Aug. 31. The Board of Supervisors this week instead extended the moratorium until June 30. It can then be extended on a month-by-month basis. Several concerning proposals, however, continued to advance and will come back for another vote.These include proposals to: Classify unpaid rent due to COVID-19 as consumer debt and create a “private right of action” for violations of the eviction moratorium order. Explore a “right to purchase” private properties. Under this proposal, an owner needing to sell a property would first… Read More

Tagged: Los Angeles

Despite immense opposition from CAA, the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday voted to prolong its COVID-19 related rent freeze by more than a year, and likely much longer. Under the council’s decision, the rent freeze, which applies to locally rent controlled housing, will remain in place for one year following the expiration of the local COVID-19 emergency. The emergency, though, lacks a definite end date. The council also updated its eviction moratorium to give tenants a private right of action against a landlord, a move expected to create a cottage industry of lawsuits against property owners. The private right… Read More

Tagged: Los Angeles

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and calls for rent strikes by extreme tenant activists, the California Apartment Association is hearing from members that some residents have not paid their May rent. The association has created an informal poll to gauge the scope of the problem. The survey includes four questions and takes less than one minute to complete. The answers will remain anonymous. Although unscientific, the poll results will provide CAA with valuable information to share with the rental housing industry, elected officials and the news media. The data also will help CAA advocate for government relief such as… Read More

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Question: One of our tenants recently requested that we paint the inside of her apartment. She has threatened to do it herself and deduct the cost of the paint from the rent if we do not have it painted within the next two weeks. Is she legally able to carry out her threat?

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On May 1, tenant activists are expected to make good on their threat to start rent strikes in California and elsewhere in the United States. Groups are calling on tenants to withhold rent, even those who have suffered no financial hardships from the COVID-19 pandemic. These groups also are calling for property owners to cancel rent for all tenants, regardless of need. Some of the California Apartment Association’s largest members have received letters demanding that these companies either agree to the activists’ terms or face a national housing strike effective May. 1. CAA recognizes that some tenants may be unable… Read More

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The San Jose City Council next week is expected to consider an ordinance that would freeze rents on all rent-controlled units for the rest of the year. At this week’s meeting, the council directed the city attorney to return Tuesday, April 21, with an ordinance that: Freezes rents on all rent-controlled units until Dec. 31, 2020.  Clarifies that it is not a service reduction if a landlord reduces amenities to comply with a public health order. Waives building/repair maintenance permit fees for rental properties under 20 units. Allows a landlord to lower rents and maintain the higher base rent for… Read More

Tagged: Tri-County

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to give tenants a full year to cover rent that goes unpaid because of COVID-19. An earlier version of the moratorium had a six-month pay-back deferral period. The board also relaxed requirements that tenants show documentation of a COVID-19 related financial hardship, allowing renters to “self certify” their inability to pay rent. The board also expanded its policies to cover not only unincorporated areas of L.A. County, but also any cities that have not imposed their own COVID-19 eviction moratoria. CAA is working to obtain a list of such cities,… Read More

Tagged: Los Angeles