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Although CAA has secured several positive changes to a rental housing ordinance under consideration in Glendale, a worrisome relocation-fee component remains in the proposal.
The City Council introduced the ordinance Tuesday night and is expected to take a final vote on the ordinance at its Feb. 12 meeting.
Although characterized as a “right to a lease” ordinance, the measure included a number of other elements that concerned the California Apartment Association.
The council has agreed to remove:
A rent registry.
A mandatory mediation program.
An increase to current no-cause eviction relocation fees.
Still in the ordinance, however, are relocation fees… Read More
Tagged: NewsRent Control Los Angeles
Taking a page from Marin County, the San Rafael City Council this week agreed to continue studying “just cause” eviction and mandatory mediation policies.
City staff highlighted both ideas in a report on “renter protections” delivered to the council Monday.
At the meeting, the California Apartment Association reiterated its opposition to just cause, which forces landlords to prove that at least one of several specified conditions exist before evictions can proceed. Such policies drag out the eviction process and make it more difficult and costly to terminate tenancies.
Question: Are e-mail communications between tenant and landlord admissible in court?
Answer: Yes, e-mails can be allowed into evidence, but cannot be used to serve notices.
Tagged: ColumnsComplianceLegal Q&A
In 2019, the California Apartment Association will continue to address a wide range of local rental housing issues in the Sacramento Valley.
Here are four of the most consequential issues to watch:
Rent control ballot measure
In the city of Sacramento, an initiative that would implement rent control and strict tenancy-termination restrictions qualified to appear on the ballot sometime in 2020. The next step is for the City Council to decide which ballot will include the measure, with options likely coming down to the March primary or November’s general election. Before acting, the council will review a pending legal opinion… Read More
The California Apartment Association has helped stave off a number of negative rental housing policy proposals for two cities on the San Francisco Peninsula.
In January, members of the South San Francisco City Council publicly denounced rent control, and Half Moon Bay’s council deferred action on a relocation-assistance proposal and other worrisome policies.
On Jan. 9, the South San Francisco City council held a workshop on “tenant protections” and strategies to address displacement resulting from rising rents, renovations and substandard housing.
Tagged: News Tri-County
Employing a new law supported by CAA, the Newsom Administration has sued a Southern California city for allegedly stifling the production of low-income housing.
On Jan. 25, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his approval of legal action against Huntington Beach, claiming that the city in Orange County has squelched the construction of affordable housing while also refusing to meet regional housing needs.
“The state doesn’t take this action lightly,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in this news release. “The huge housing costs and sky-high rents are eroding quality of life for families across this state. California’s housing crisis is an existential threat… Read More
Question: The lease for one of my tenants expires at the end of this month. He told me to take the month’s rent out of his security deposit because he would leave the apartment clean and in good repair. He told me since it is his deposit, he has the right to deduct rent out of the deposit. What should I do?
Answer: California law requires the owner or manager to account for the use of the deposit no later than 21 days from the date the tenant vacated the unit. Since the tenant has failed to pay rent, a… Read More
Tagged: ColumnsComplianceLegal Q&A
Although President Trump announced that the partial U.S. government shutdown would temporarily end, its impact is still being felt by both renters and landlords.
Trump’s announcement Friday came on the 35th day of the government closure, which has left 800,000 federal employees without a paycheck, and many having a difficult time paying rent.
The president said the government would reopen for three weeks while negotiations for border security continue.
“I will make sure that all employees receive their back pay very quickly or as soon as possible,” he said, as reported by the New York Times. “It will happen fast.”… Read More
Tagged: Section 8
After hearing from CAA, the El Cerrito City Council this month postponed a scheduled vote on several rental housing-related proposals, including “just cause” eviction policies.
In addition to just cause, the council’s agenda on Jan. 15 included an onerous change to the city’s relocation assistance policy, minimum-lease requirements and termination-of-tenancy requirements.
The decision to postpone voting on these policies came after the council received staff presentations and heard the testimony of concerned stakeholders, including the California Apartment Association.
Tagged: Just Cause EvictionNews Contra Costa
In a well-intentioned but unnecessary step, the San Jose City Council on Thursday passed an emergency ordinance to protect furloughed federal workers from eviction.
Under the legislation, approved by the council on an 8-0 vote, landlords may not evict federal employees and contractors for nonpayment of rent if those tenants have gone without pay due to the budget stalemate in Washington, D.C., which dragged on for more than a month.
Although President Trump on Friday announced that the government would reopen for three weeks, San Jose’s emergency ordinance on evicting furloughed federal workers remains in effect. The ordinance was worded… Read More
Tagged: Evictions Tri-County