Here they go again. There are organizers out there collecting signatures for a California initiative that calls for even stricter residential rent control laws. This initiative is called the “Justice for Renters Act” and 546,651 signatures must be gathered in six months and then verified to go to the statewide ballot in 2024. According to…
In 1980, the city of Berkeley passed a comprehensive strict rent control ordinance, “strict” because it included vacancy control. Under vacancy control, city-mandated price controls continue to apply even after a voluntary vacancy occurs. This all changed in 1995 when the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (AB 1164) became state law, mandating that no local rent control…
(Court Rules Landlords Can Ask Tenants About Criminal History!) Washington, D.C.: On March 21, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that the government cannot prevent landlords from asking about applicants’ criminal histories when selecting tenants. In 2017, Seattle passed the “Fair Chance Housing Ordinance,” forbidding landlords from asking about or…
Dear AOA: This “drip-drip-drip” attack on landlords by state and local politicians, from building code upgrades to eviction roadblocks to capped rents, is having a significant negative impact on building development, construction and ownership. As such, we are re-evaluating our multi-family investment goals. If this continues…..it will make it impossible to build anything. Regards, Al…
Below are questions asked by rental property owners regarding California and Orange County rent control laws, followed by answers provided by eviction attorney Dennis Block. Question One: A tenant has parked a broken-down car in front of their apartment. I have asked them to remove the car but they have refused. What are my options for…
[April] was highlighted by the Federal Reserve hiking short-term interest rates, despite clear warnings that our financial system is under stress, complete with two bank failures. The Fed Open Market Committee (FOMC) met last Tuesday and Wednesday to set interest rate policy for the coming weeks and for the first time this cycle, acknowledged we…
The coming of spring marks an intrinsic planning milestone when many owners begin to put into motion their asset optimization targets and evaluate the scope and cost of required improvements and maintenance items for the year. This process requires a thorough understanding of how a property is currently performing while balancing the potential for ongoing…
Campus housing: Students can’t get enough of it and California public campuses can’t build dorm rooms fast enough. And yet, Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed delaying by a year, nearly $1.2 billion in loans and grants that would build housing for thousands of students at affordable rates — money the state promised campuses in last year’s state…
Have you or your tenants been caught up in multiple Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) lawsuits? The ADA lawsuits are on the rise in the first quarter of 2023, so be proactive and avoid these costly lawsuits. If you are caught up in an ADA lawsuit, we highly suggest you work with a qualified ADA…
Luxury property comes with a unique set of expectations and priorities for a property manager. It can also teach them some valuable lessons about other types of real estate, as we’ve learned in the last year since taking over a larger luxury portfolio. In 2019, I wrote an article about all of the ways property…