The California Apartment Association will present a webinar this month on the latest changes to California’s domestic violence law and what landlords need to know to stay in compliance. Registration opened today for the webinar, which is set for 10 a.m. May 24.  

These changes focus on enhanced protections for renters who are victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, elder and dependent adult abuse, stalking or other violent crimes. 

The California Legislature recently amended the law, ensuring that victims of domestic violence are not evicted due to abuse or when seeking help from law enforcement. The law also includes provisions to release victims from their lease, should relocation be necessary for safety. 

These protections now include victims of all violent crimes and residents needing to move because a family member, living elsewhere, has been a victim of violent crime or domestic violence. 

As of Jan. 1, 2023, the protections extend to victims of domestic violence who previously shared tenancy with the perpetrator, and those who lost protection because the perpetrator returned to the property without the victim’s consent or for child custody exchanges. 

The webinar will inform landlords about domestic violence, the related legal protections, and practical guidance for helping tenants. 

Discussion topics include facts about domestic violence, its relation to rental housing, landlord responsibilities, California tenant protection laws, and other resources. 

Speakers include Monica Deka of the California Apartment Association, Rachelle Currie of Haven Women’s Center, and Nishara Gunasekara of the Family Violence Law Center. 

The live webinar is $39 for California Apartment Association members and $79 for non-members. The live and on-demand version is $49 for members and $89 for non-members. The course is expected to last one hour.