Unexpectedly, One of the Nation’s Fastest-Growing Financing Types is Changing the Game for Seismic Retrofits in California – by E.Brandon Alini

Property owners faced with the burdensome cost having to complete seismic retrofits in California are turning to a new type of financing called Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) as a solution. One of the newest and fasted growing types of financing in the country, PACE has carried the growing trend of renewable energy and environmental…

Top 3 Biggest Stressors for Property Owners and Managers in 2017 – by John Triplett

In a new survey of 700 rental property owners across the country, maintenance, repairs and replacement continues to be the biggest stressor overall for property owners and managers, according to Buildium.com.  Overall 61% of respondents reported maintenance and repairs as stressful, compared to 62% last year, according to the survey. “It is clear property owners…

Is “Socialized” Security Really Safe? – by Porter Stansberry

A version of this article first appeared on November 10, 2016 in The Stansberry Digest, published by Stansberry & Associates Investment Research, an independent investment research firm.  You can visit them at www.stansberryresearch.com.  Transfer payments which many wrongly understand as “insurance” are known as mandatory spending.  The Pentagon and other government efforts (like building roads)…

STOP THE TRASH MONOPOLY!

Open Letters to Mayor Garcetti and L.A. City Council Members  Dear Mr. Mayor: I have enclosed an article from the AOA magazine for you to read if you haven’t already.  The position of this organization is my position and I am in concert with their requests of you. I feel that the city has unilaterally…

Fake News About Rent Control! – by Michael Millman, Attorney

The below letter was sent to the Manager of KCET regarding a recent telecast on “City Rising”. Dear Program Manager: Thank you for your interesting program.  Unfortunately, you did not interview or discuss some of the problems, difficulties or challenges facing small, family apartment owners who handle and manage properties in Oakland, Santa Ana, Boyle…

Legal Q & A – by Richard Beckman, Attorney

Question 1:  We have a no-smoking clause in our apartment leases in Campbell. One tenant has smoked for years, and we have not enforced the clause. We have had discussions with him a number of times about his smoking, and asked him to not smoke on the premises. He continues to disregard the clause and…

Service Dogs and Support Animals Updated: Here is What You Need to Know! – by Dale Alberstone, Esq.

Hello everybody.  I frequently receive calls from AOA members expressing great frustration with tenants bringing dogs into their apartments claiming that their canines are exempt from the landlord’s “no pets” policy as the animals are service dogs. Unfortunately for housing providers such as owners and management companies, true service dogs (and various types of comfort…

Legal Q and A by Dennis Block, Attorney

Question One: I’m a member of the AOA and have a question about installing security cameras in my building.  I know that they can be installed at the front and back of the building, side walkways, common areas, parking lots and garages. I would never install them inside the units.  I have a duplex where…