California rental property management has become more complicated. Every stage of the rental life cycle brings its own rules, requirements and potential pitfalls. From screening an applicant to handling a disability request, entering a unit, enforcing the lease, serving a notice or accounting for a security deposit, knowing what to do matters.
That is why AOA is bringing our members a rare, comprehensive three-hour training opportunity designed to cover the entire rental property management process from beginning to end.
Save the Date and Register TODAY at AOAUSA.com!
A to Z Rental Property Management: From Application to Move-Out
This special AOA members-only workshop will take place Friday, November 20, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Zoom
And because we know our members are busy, the workshop will also be available on demand for one month after the live presentation.
Best of all, it is FREE for AOA members.
This is not a seminar focused on one particular city or local ordinance. It is designed to give housing providers a California-wide perspective on the issues they deal with throughout the rental relationship.
Think of it as a three-hour opportunity to step back from the day-to-day demands of managing property and make sure you are current on the rules and best practices that can protect your investment.
Part I: Before the Tenant Moves In
The first step in successful property management is putting the right tenant in the right property.
Tenant Screening: Mission Critical
Good tenant screening is one of the most important tools a housing provider has.
The screening process is about more than simply looking at a credit score. Housing providers need to understand how to establish appropriate screening criteria, apply those criteria consistently and make informed decisions based on the information available to them.
The goal is simple: do your homework before handing over the keys.
Know the Laws and Avoid the Landmines
California’s fair housing and tenant protection laws create plenty of potential legal landmines for owners who are not familiar with the rules.
One important area is “source of income”.
What constitutes a lawful source of income? On what grounds can you lawfully deny an applicant? What documentation can you request? How do you make sure your screening process complies with applicable requirements?
Understanding these rules before making a decision can help keep a routine rental application from becoming a discrimination complaint or lawsuit.
Approving or Denying an Applicant
Once you have the information, how do you make the decision?
The workshop will cover the process of evaluating an applicant and properly handling an approval or denial. Consistency, documentation and following your established screening criteria are critical.
The best time to prevent a tenant problem is before the tenancy begins.
Part II: Issues That Arise During the Tenancy
Once the tenant moves in, the real-world challenges of property management begin.
How you communicate, enforce the rental agreement and respond to requests can make a tremendous difference in the success of the tenancy.
Communication: Best Practices
Good communication can prevent misunderstandings from becoming disputes.
Housing providers and property managers need to know how to communicate effectively with tenants, document important conversations and create a record when an issue needs to be addressed.
Whether it is a repair request, a lease violation or another tenant concern, knowing what to say, how to say it and when to put it in writing can protect both the housing provider and the tenant.
Enforcement: The Key Mistake Owners Make
One of the biggest mistakes owners make is not enforcing their own rules.
If a lease says something is prohibited, allowing repeated violations without addressing them can make the eventual enforcement more difficult.
The workshop will discuss proper enforcement practices and why consistency matters. The objective is not to create conflict with tenants. It is to establish expectations, address problems early and manage the tenancy professionally.
Disability Requests: Know Your Part and Their Part
Disability accommodation requests don’t have to be intimidating, but housing providers need to understand how the process works. What is the tenant responsible for? What is the housing provider responsible for? What information can you request, and when?
This portion of the workshop will walk members through the reasonable accommodation process and help clarify the responsibilities of both sides. Knowing your role, and the tenant’s role, can make these situations much easier to handle while helping housing providers avoid unnecessary fair housing problems.
VAWA: Who Gets These Notices May Surprise You
The Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA, is another area that housing providers need to understand.
Who is entitled to VAWA protections and notices? The answer may surprise you.
This portion of the workshop will help members understand when VAWA requirements may apply and what housing providers need to know when these circumstances arise.
Unit Entry: Know the Rules Before You Knock
Owners have legitimate reasons to enter their rental units. You may need to perform maintenance, investigate a problem, inspect the condition of the property or check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Know your rights and rules governing when and how you can enter.
The workshop will cover lawful unit entry, including the importance of proper notice and following the applicable requirements.
Maintenance: Best Practices
Maintenance problems are inevitable. How you handle them is what matters.
Members will learn best practices for responding to maintenance requests, documenting repairs and communicating with tenants. Proper maintenance management can protect the property, preserve the tenant relationship and help prevent a relatively small problem from becoming a major dispute.
Part III: Termination of the Tenancy
Eventually, every tenancy ends.
Whether the tenant voluntarily moves out or the housing provider has a lawful basis to terminate the tenancy, the process matters.
Notices, Just Cause and Eviction
California’s termination and eviction laws can be complicated, and mistakes can be costly.
The workshop will cover notices, just cause requirements and the eviction process so members can better understand what needs to happen, when it needs to happen and why doing it correctly matters.
When an eviction becomes necessary, knowing the process can mean the difference between moving forward efficiently and finding yourself starting over because of an error.
Post-Tenancy Issues and Abandonment
What happens when a tenant appears to have abandoned the property?
Housing providers need to understand how to properly address abandonment and other post-tenancy situations, including issues involving possession of the property and tenant belongings.
Pre-Move-Out Inspections
The move-out process should begin before the tenant actually moves out.
The workshop will cover pre-move-out inspections, applicable requirements and the importance of documenting the condition of the unit.
Pictures and good documentation can be invaluable when questions arise later about damage, cleaning or the condition of the property.
Security Deposits: Litigation Hotbed!
Security deposits remain one of the most litigated areas of rental property management.
What can you deduct? What cannot you deduct? What documentation should you maintain? What happens when there is damage beyond ordinary wear and tear?
These are issues every housing provider needs to understand.
A proper move-out inspection, photographs, documentation and a thorough understanding of the applicable requirements can help avoid a dispute before it starts.
A Rare Opportunity for the AOA Family
AOA has always been dedicated to your success in real estate. We want our members to have the knowledge and tools they need to manage their rental properties as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.
This workshop brings a tremendous amount of practical information together in one place.
In just three hours, you will move through the entire rental life cycle:
Application → Screening → Approval → Move-In → Communication → Enforcement → Disability Requests → VAWA → Unit Entry → Maintenance → Termination → Move-Out → Security Deposit
That makes this a particularly valuable opportunity for both experienced housing providers who want a refresher and those who want to strengthen their understanding of California rental property management.
And unlike many specialized seminars, this training is designed for California housing providers statewide, not just owners operating under the rules of one particular city.
Save the Date and Register Online at AOAUSA.COM!
A to Z Rental Property Management: From Application to Move-Out
WHEN: Friday, November 20, 2026
TIME: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Live on Zoom – Register today at AOAUSA.com!
On demand for AOA members for one month
FREE for AOA members
We encourage every AOA member to take advantage of this special training.
Three hours of your time could help you avoid hours of frustration, costly mistakes and unnecessary legal headaches down the road.
Join your AOA family for this rare opportunity to get current, sharpen your property management skills and make sure you are doing it right from application to move-out.
Jeff Faller grew up in the apartment industry and currently serves as the President of the Apartment Owners Association of California, Inc. (AOA). He holds a degree in Business Administration and made history as the first American to establish a wholly foreign-owned company in one of the world’s most restricted communist countries. His work abroad focused on empowering local communities through sustainable business practices.
After 16 years overseas, Jeff returned to the U.S. and joined the Entrepreneurship Department at one of America’s leading universities. Today, he continues the legacy of his father, Dan Faller, by leading AOA and advocating for California housing providers, property owners, and real estate investors.