IN THE NEWS: Governor Newsom Signed Anti-Wage-Garnishment Bill into Law

SACRAMENTO — Low and middle-income Californians who are struggling to keep up with back-due debt will be able to retain a greater share of their paychecks to avoid falling deeper down a financial hole under legislation signed today by Governor Gavin Newsom. SB 1477, authored by Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont), will provide important relief for…

Read more

Recovering Unpaid Rent Debt Through Small Claims Court By Brian Wallace, SPOSF/SPOSFI Board Member

The COVID-19 emergency and eviction moratorium have left a large number of [California] housing providers with unpaid rent—often in the tens of thousands of dollars. If you are among those who find themselves in this situation, what can you do to recover this unpaid rent? Step One: Talk to Your Renter First Your first step…

Read more

The Reports of a Housing Crash Are Missing One Crucial Fact By Sean Michael Cummings, Analyst, True Wealth

A version of this article first appeared on October 18, 2022 in True Wealth, published by Stansberry & Associates Investment Research, an independent investment research firm.  You can visit them at www.stansberryresearch.com. The drumbeat of bad press for housing isn’t slowing down … and recently, we got another addition to the tide of bad news.…

Read more

Seven Habits of Highly Successful Property Managers By John Triplett

What are seven habits of highly successful property managers? Buildium.com did a webinar to explore seven ways that property managers can better organize their daily routines while the chaos of property management problems rage around them. Here are the habits courtesy of Buildium. No. 1 – Make Communication a Core Competency “Create templates for everything, from emails…

Read more

A Better, Less Costly Bracing System for Soft-Story Buildings By Thor Matteson, SE, Quake Brace Mfg. Co.

Earthquakes pose a serious threat to “soft-story” apartment buildings (Figure 1), and by now many owners are aware of this hazard, or of city requirements to strengthen such buildings. My structural engineering firm focused on designing earthquake “retrofits” (structural upgrades to make older buildings more earthquake resistant) almost exclusively for the last 12 years.  This…

Read more

Should You Give Your Tenant’s Holiday Gifts?

Christmas and Hanukkah will again be different this year – circumstances may have affected some landlord/tenant relationships.  Some tenants may owe you months of rent due to job loss or sickness.  Some may be dishonestly taking advantage of the laws allowing them to “defer” rental payments.    Also, circumstances may have changed with housing providers.  Having…

Read more

Legal Q & A By Dennis Block, Esq.

Below are questions asked by rental property owners regarding California rent control laws followed by answers provided by eviction attorney Dennis Block. Question One: I own a 27-unit apartment building in Los Angeles, which is not under rent control. We had a six-month lease with one of the tenants, and currently, the tenancy is month-to-month.…

Read more