A bill that initially threatened to impose new burdens on rental housing providers in the aftermath of local disasters will be amended at the request of the California Apartment Association. The changes would clarify the rights and responsibilities of rental property owners when their properties are damaged or destroyed due to disasters.
Original concerns with legislation
SB 610 by Sen. Sasha Perez, D-Los Angeles, was originally drafted in a way that implied rental housing providers would be obligated to rebuild their properties after a disaster, effectively preventing them from exiting the rental market—despite such rights being protected under existing law. CAA opposed the bill due to these implications and the confusion it would cause for rental property owners navigating disaster recovery.
CAA’s advocacy and key amendments
This week, CAA reached an agreement with the author to amend the bill to clarify its provisions. If enacted, the amended version would make clear that rental property owners would not be required to rebuild any part of a rental property damaged or destroyed by a disaster and that they could terminate all tenancies as allowed under existing law.
The bill clarifies that if a rental property owner chooses to re-rent the units:
- All debris must be removed first.
- Health hazards resulting from the disaster—such as mold, smoke, smoke residue, odor, ash, asbestos, or water damage—must be mitigated before tenants return.
- Existing tenants would have the right to reoccupy the unit at the same rent that was in place at the time of the disaster.
These clarifications codify existing law and eliminate the ambiguities introduced by the original bill language.
Elimination of extended eviction notice requirement
CAA also successfully advocated for the removal of language that would have extended eviction notice periods when a landlord elects to terminate tenancies following a disaster.
