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In this Thanksgiving edition, we talk turkey about permissible rent increases throughout the Bay Area and many landlords will not be jumping for joy. A pair of Alameda County Supervisors are holding an event to hear your concerns and articulate an agenda moving forward.
Already home to the most stringent tenant protections in the Bay Area, Oakland is being Oakland again by mulling over even more regulations we explore here.
Following the footsteps of San Francisco, East Palo Alto has enacted the Opportunity to Purchase Act giving nonprofits unprecedented access to multifamily buildings about to be put up for sale and the first right to come to the trough, a movement that will likely be exported to Oakland and Berkeley. We answer select questions that have come across our desk and after alarmest media outlets take notice of an uptick in eviction filings and warn of an eviction tsunami, there is a counter-narrative.
Owners subject to statewide just cause eviction rules who are endeavoring to transition tenants out on the theory of substantially remodeling the rental unit are soon in for a new set of rules to follow. We discuss how to respond to the age-old problem of noise complaints and announce Berkeley's latest cap on rent increases.
On the eve of Halloween, we outline some of the scariest mistakes landlords and their agents are prone to make.
There is some chatter in Alameda County about what the future may hold for housing providers. Reforms to California's mental health system may provide a new tool for landlords to address behavior in and around rental units when the tenant is suffering from a mental illness or addiction. A recap of our talk with the EBRHA legal panel at a barnburner event.
New security deposit rules limiting security deposits will go into effect on July 1, 2024. For the visual types, we put together a flowchart and while on the subject, discuss what is "normal wear and tear" versus damage that can be deducted from the security deposit.
Ratio Utility Billing Systems (RUBs) have been touted for their cost-sharing approach, incentives to conserve utilities and promote equitable utility expenses based on factors such as square footage and the number of household members, but this can rub tenants and rent boards the wrong way. Governor Newsom takes aim at anti-crime housing policies. A $150K settlement is reached when a housing provider is accused of Section 8 discrimination, and security deposit limitations are signed into law.
We asked our community to suggest topics to take on and several of you let us know what is top of mind. Also, there is a growing consensus that if rental units do not contribute to the overall housing stock, they are not exempt from the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act.
It's getting harder and harder for landlords to insure their properties as risk-averse insurance companies leave California in droves or refuse to renew policies. Governor Newsom and the DOI eye reform. With eviction moratoriums now ended, we get back to basics by focusing on core practice areas. Alameda Board President and District 4 Supervisor Nate Miley to attend a luncheon with housing providers.
A ceremonial data as Berkeley becomes the last of Bay Area locales to end its eviction moratorium, but we offer some cautionary words. After years of debate, Concord is poised to usher in new tenant protections. New fire alarm requirements for certain San Francisco buildings.
When facing displacement, tenants will commonly request a "reasonable accommodation" to stave off eviction and this becomes a back-and-forth process. Accepting rent payments after an unlawful detainer action is commenced would ordinarily tank the lawsuit, but what to do when a tenant unilaterally pays online? Ever-changing notice requirements plague landlords, and after engaging in a talk with the National Association of Residential Real Estate Property Managers, we shared the slide deck that was a springboard for conversation with the group.
Our community is invited to a webinar we will be hosting on September 14th to get an update on landlording rules throughout the Bay Area as eviction moratoriums come to a close. Moving forward with a legislative agenda in Alameda County, Supervisor Nate Miley attempted to bring together landlord and tenant groups to have a meaningful dialogue, but the tenants' rights camp squandered the opportunity and obstructed the meeting. Using IRS Form 1099-C as potential leverage when attempting to collect COVID-related rent debt, as rent forgiveness becomes a taxable event. Other items on our radar.
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