“The purpose of being an apartment owner is to help and serve other people.” Dan Faller, Founder of AOA As we prepare for this year’s AOA Trade Show & Landlording Conference, we’re revisiting some of the timeless lessons that have inspired generations of successful landlords. Among the seminars longtime attendees may remember is one presented by…
What is SB 122? California’s Senate Bill 122 was signed by Governor Newsom on June 29, 2026, expanding the state’s sales and use tax base to include certain digital products and remotely accessed software. The new law also comes with limits to certain business tax credits and provides a reduced first-year annual tax for newly…
Proposition 43 makes it harder to raise taxes by restoring the two-thirds vote requirement for local special taxes. A “special tax” is one that earmarks the revenue for specific purposes. The constitution states in Article XIII A, Section 4 (added by Proposition 13 in 1978), that cities, counties and special districts may impose special taxes…
Security deposit disputes are among the most common sources of conflict between landlords and tenants. To help reduce these disputes, California enacted Assembly Bill 2801, which imposes new documentation requirements on landlords who make deductions from a tenant’s security deposit. These two dates are very important: Effective April 1, 2025, landlords are required to photograph…
When a tenant submits an Emotional Support Animal accommodation request, it is important for housing providers to follow a consistent review process that includes responding promptly and in accordance with fair housing laws. Proper documentation and equal treatment of all applicants and tenants can help reduce liability as well as demonstrate compliance with fair housing…
Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA) In the words of Rahm Emanuel, politicians should never let a crisis go to waste – even when they’re fake. In 2025, Santa Clara County supervisors pushed a sales tax measure citing the Medicaid cuts in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act as a…
In the words of Rahm Emanuel, politicians should never let a crisis go to waste – even when they’re fake. In 2025, Santa Clara County supervisors pushed a sales tax measure citing the Medicaid cuts in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act as a fiscal emergency requiring immediate voter action. The ploy worked. Voters…
When faced with a vacancy, it’s natural to feel anxiety and urgency—the pressure to stop “losing money every day.” As days on the market increase, self-doubt (“Did I price it too high?”) and frustration (“It shouldn’t be this hard to rent a good unit”) can quickly set in. Because of this, many housing providers begin…
Hi, Jeff. Thanks for writing, and you would be hard pressed to be too conservative for me. The revelation is, you run a business and have a membership—a following— that will give you a fair listen and likely agree with you. Moreso, they will likely follow your lead in matters they know are near their…
As many of AOA members know, in 2017, Apartment Owners of Los Angeles brought a legal challenge to the City of Los Angeles through Apartment Owners of Los Angeles et al. v. City of Los Angeles, LASC Case No. BC677423. While it has been a long, hard battle, the case continues to move forward. Finally,…