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Screening: Establishing Criteria

Prior to offering residential property for rent, every owner and manager should develop written screening criteria that will be applied consistently to all applicants. Criteria should include minimum income requirements, credit, employment,…

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Year in Review: Top CAA stories of 2016

January 4, 2017

Over the past 12 months, the state’s ongoing housing shortage defined many of the issues facing California’s rental property owners and managers. The housing crunch drove debates at city halls,…

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UPDATE: Gov. Brown signs bill aimed at sealing more eviction court records

September 9, 2016

CAA amendments target unscrupulous attorneys The state’s unlawful detainer “masking” law has been in place for over 20 years, introduced by the California Apartment Association to prevent unethical eviction-delay firms…

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End of session: Bad bills prevented by CAA

September 8, 2016

Now that the 2015-16 Legislative session has come to an end, Gov. Jerry Brown must decide the fate of nearly 800 bills. And thanks largely to CAA’s advocacy work, rental…

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HUD issues overreaching guidelines on criminal background checks in tenant screening

April 7, 2016

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.…

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Tenants Privacy Interest: Files and Records Maintained by the Owner

Does a tenant have a right to privacy in the content of the tenant file containing financial and non-financial material maintained by a landlord?  This overview addresses the issue of…

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Screening: Fees

When prospective residents apply for rental housing, they may be asked by the owner of the property to cover the cost of any credit reports and other available rental history…

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Screening: Immigration Law and its Effect on Property Owners

California law extends its civil rights law to individuals regardless of citizenship, primary language, or immigration status. These protections were enhanced, effective January 2018 by AB 291 (Chiu). This Industry…

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Megan’s Law: Registered Sex Offenders and the Impact on the Rental Housing Industry

In 1990, eleven-year-old Jacob Wetterling disappeared at the hands of an armed gunman, never to be seen again. His mother and father thereafter began a national campaign to encourage laws…

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Identity Theft: Federal Red Flag Rule

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a rule that imposes additional duties on rental property owners and management companies to help combat identity theft.  Entitled “Identity Theft Red Flags…