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By SHANT APEKIAN
Republicans and Moderate Democrats – including numerous allies of the apartment industry — enjoyed major victories in California on Election Day, giving the California Apartment Association reason to celebrate.
During this election cycle, the California Apartment Association’s Political Action Committee spent roughly $2 million ensuring the election of candidates who will defend the interests of the multifamily housing industry.
Bolstered by CAAPAC’s political support, voter frustration with the status quo and record-low voter turnout, business-friendly candidates garnered vital wins.
Statewide, Gov. Brown easily secured a fourth term, and Democrats once again swept all the constitutional offices. In… Read More
Question: I am an owner of several small apartment buildings. What legal responsibility and liability does an owner have for changing locks when changing tenants?
Answer: An owner or manager of rental property is held to the same standard of care that would be required by a reasonable and prudent owner or manager in like circumstances. In other words, if one of your residents claims he or she was robbed or injured by someone who had a key to his or her apartment, this person could claim you were responsible. The tenant could prevail in court if the trier of… Read More
Tagged: ColumnsComplianceLegal Q&A
The California Apartment Association’s work with San Mateo County has helped shape an ordinance that protects residents from smoking while limiting the liability of rental property owners.
The county, including the Board of Supervisors and county counsel, partnered with CAA Tri-County since May 2013 to protect property owners’ and managers’ interests in the regulations.
This resulted in wording amenable to the industry because it provides:
Liability protection.
The ability to designate a smoking area.
A 14-month phase-in period.
No requirements to post “No Smoking” signage in each unit.
The ordinance, approved by supervisors on a 4-1 vote Tuesday, Oct. 21,… Read More
Tagged: NewsSmoking Tri-County
A small group of CAA Greater Inland Empire members broke bread with four local mayors Friday, Oct. 17, during the association’s third Leadership Roundtable of 2014.
With more than two elected officials taking part this time, organizers changed the format, pairing each member with a mayor during lunch. They got to spend nearly an hour together.
The event took place at the National Community Renaissance’s office in Rancho Cucamonga.
Participating mayors included Paul Leon (Ontario); Carey Davis (San Bernardino); Dennis Michael (Rancho Cucamonga); and Karen Spiegel (Corona).
“I’ve never been to a rental housing industry event; it was an honor… Read More
Tagged: Leadership Greater Inland Empire
Question: My tenant fixes his motorcycle in the living room of his apartment. I have warned him that he did not have a right to use our apartment as an auto repair shop. He says as long as he leaves the apartment clean, he has the right to work on his motorcycle. What should I do?
Answer: You should review your lease to see if he is breaching any particular condition of promise. If not, and you are on a month-to-month tenancy, you could threaten to serve him with a 30-day notice to quit, or to change the terms of… Read More
Tagged: ColumnsComplianceLegal Q&A
Question: Is there any way to impose a rent increase on tenants with a lease or do you have to wait until the lease is expired? Can you raise rents on specific units and not all units?
Answer: You have to wait until the lease expires unless the lease term contained an automatic rent increase. If there is an objective business reason, you can raise rent on some units and not others, as long as it does not violate fair housing laws. Many owners increase the rent on the tenants’ anniversary dates.
Question: I have a tenant who has been… Read More
Tagged: ColumnsComplianceLegal Q&A
San Francisco will legalize short-term rentals like those offered online by AirBnB, but that greenlight comes with some stipulations – and lingering concerns among both landlord and tenant groups.
The Board of Supervisors’ approval of vacation rentals came Tuesday, with a second and final vote expected later this month.
“The status quo isn’t working; we have seen an explosion in short-term rentals,” Board President David Chiu said, according to this San Francisco Chronicle article.
The story says the ordinance, which lifts the city’s ban on residential rentals shorter than 30 days, is set to take effect in February and will:… Read More
In the legislative arena, 2014 brought plenty of victories for the California Apartment Association.
Over the past year, CAA fought some hard battles to move bills out of the Legislature and onto the governor’s desk. For the most part, Gov. Jerry Brown agreed with CAA in 2014, signing a number of bills that will help further the success of the rental housing industry. Brown also signed a couple of bills that triggered CAA’s opposition.
Read on to find out how laws borne out of the 2014 legislative session will affect you and your business.
Signed by the governor
AB… Read More
Tagged: AdvocacyLegislation Tri-County
A California Apartment Association political-action event last month raised nearly $200,000 – critical funds going into the November elections.
The contributions received from sponsors and members at CAA Tri-County’s 12 annual Beyond the Vine political-action committee fundraiser nearly doubled last year’s total. Proceeds from the event will help CAA defend the rental housing industry this November in numerous high-stakes elections throughout the Silicon Valley.
CAA held Beyond the Vine on Thursday, Sept. 25, at the Villa Montalvo in Saratoga.
“The historic setting was appropriate for a political event as it was the home of California’s first-elected U.S. senator, James Phelan,”… Read More
Tagged: AdvocacyPolitical Action Tri-County
The California Apartment Association is working to defeat a November ballot measure that would levy unfair and exorbitant taxes that hurt both landlords and renters in Antioch.
CAA’s campaign, dubbed “No on Measure O,” includes a coalition of seniors, homeowners and local business owners.
However, this tax would not resolve the city’s chronic deficits — and is likely to be used for nothing more than City Hall salaries. Because Measure O was presented as a general tax, the City Council does not have to specify where or how the additional tax revenues will be spent.
Besides singling out one segment… Read More