Magazine Articles

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…

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…

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…

Many renters and prospective residents are willing to increase their budgets if you have amenities that will turn their heads and elevate their lifestyle. When searching for a new home, it may seem as if the options are endless – amenities serve as a key attraction point for renters and can assist in securing a…