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The city of Fresno will waive inspection fees for landlords when apartment checkups resume next month following a nearly six-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The City Council voted 7-0 Thursday to restart residential interior inspections using virtual technology. Inspections have been suspended since March to prevent the spread of coronavirus to both renters and city staff.
Tagged: InspectionsNews Greater Fresno
A tenant’s guest shoots and kills someone at the rental property.
Another tenant threatens to behead the landlord.
And a third renter runs a prostitution ring out of the unit.
In each case, the landlord pursues an eviction, and each time, the judge says no.
These are just some of the eviction-worthy situations that have gone nowhere since April 6, when the California Judicial Council suspended virtually all unlawful-detainer proceedings in the state.
In the cases above, the landlords pointed to the Judicial Council’s exception for threats to health and safety.
The plaintiffs were still denied.
The justification? Rule 1… Read More
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Judicial Council of California on Monday placed on hold nearly all evictions in the state.
The council’s vote at an emergency meeting effectively suspended all unlawful detainer actions until 90 days after California’s COVID-19 state of emergency ends.
The vote goes much further than Gov. Gavin Newsom’s eviction moratorium, which he declared through an executive order last month. That order banned the eviction of renters unable to pay the rent because of financial hardships tied to COVID-19. A previous order issued by Newsom expanded the Judicial Council’s emergency authority, making Monday’s sweeping action… Read More
Tagged: COVID-19
An Assembly bill intended to curb illegal marijuana cultivation could have unintended consequences for landlords whose tenants secretly set up growing operations in their units.
Under AB 2164 by Assemblyman Ken Cooley, D-Rancho Cordova, individuals accused of violating local cannabis laws – including tenants and their unsuspecting landlords — could face fines and other penalties without first getting a chance to appeal and remedy the problem.
Tagged: Legislation
To help address California’s ongoing housing shortage, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have turned their attention to the California Environmental Quality Act.
While the landmark land-use law is intended to protect the environment, CEQA often hinders the development of housing. CEQA also has become a favorite tool of no-growth advocates, who frequently file lawsuits under CEQA simply to delay or stop housing projects.
A pair of bills by Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, would help protect housing projects from such frivolous legal challenges.
Tagged: Legislation
The Legislature has scheduled hearings this month on a pair of bills that target the Ellis Act, landmark legislation that protects a property owner’s right to exit the rental housing business.
The Ellis Act, passed in 1985, provides an important safety valve for landlords operating in rent controlled jurisdictions.
Tagged: Ellis ActLegislation
Earthquakes are not selective about where and when they strike, and they are equally as indiscriminate on the types of buildings they can rattle to the ground. While it is true that some structures may be more prone to damage than others, the reality is that virtually all buildings have the capacity to fail in a major quake.
Recognizing that, many cities throughout the state are kicking off new laws requiring retrofits of various types of buildings – a phenomenon the Los Angeles Times recently proclaimed as the start of a “new frontier” for earthquake safety.
Tagged: Seismic Retrofitting
A California Senate bill that would require inspections for apartment balconies should exempt structures that have already been officially verified as safe, the California Apartment Association has concluded.
SB 721 by Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, would require the inspection of decks, balconies, and elevated walkways, as specified, in buildings containing three or more multifamily units.
Tagged: InspectionsLegislation
The number of cities with rent control measures going on the November ballot continued to grow this week as election officials certified an initiative in San Mateo.
Tenant advocates in San Mateo had turned in more than 11,000 signatures in support of rent control and just-cause eviction policies. To qualify, 7,119 valid signatures were required.
Other Bay Area cities where rent control measures have qualified for the November election include Richmond, Alameda and Mountain View. Election officials are still reviewing a ballot measure proposed for Burlingame.
The California Apartment Association is committed to defeating rent control proposals wherever they arise.… Read More
Most rental housing policies that exclude applicants with criminal backgrounds are likely in violation of fair housing laws, according to new guidelines from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Coming on the heels of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding claims under the federal Fair Housing Act based on “disparate impact” or “discriminatory effect,” the new guidelines describe how the use of criminal background checks can result in liability for unlawful discrimination.
HUD Secretary Julián Castro has said, “No American should ever be discriminated against because of their race or ethnicity, even if that discrimination results from a… Read More
Tagged: Fair Housing