(a.) NEW Ventura Rent Control Ordinance talks and discussion

(b.) California Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482)

(c.) Oxnard Just Cause Evictions & Tenant Protections Ordinance NO. 3012

(d.) Oxnard Rent Stabilization Ordinance NO. 3013

HERE'S WHAT'S BREWING RIGHT NOW WITH YOUR CALIFORNIA LEGISLATORS

- as of Nov 2023. 

- Gov Gavin Newsom just signed into law: AB 12 in effect July 1, 2024.  A Landlord can only ask for / take / receive a security deposit of 1months rent and no more.  For all of those Renters with a bit lower credit score or lack of references that Landlords might be willing to take a chance are gone.  Extra pet deposit?  Can't ask for extra deposit.  For those Landlords already holding 1+months rent security deposit prior to July 1, 2024 may still hold 1+months rent.

Now, Landlords of Port Hueneme - Your City Leaders are now discussing Port Hueneme Rent Control.  Call your elected city officials and tell them you are against new Rent Control ordinances since they are proving to actually raise rents in Oxnard and Ojai and any 'Feel-good' ordinances are backfiring.  Solution to housing: create more rental units, make life a bit easier to get permits to build.

- SB 567 (Durazo) Rent Caps – SB 567 dramatically lowers the rent cap to just the percentage change in the cost of living (CPI) or 5%, whichever is lower, and starts just-cause eviction protections on the first day of tenancy. This bill dramatically expands the rent cap and just-cause eviction provisions in current law, thereby harming small property owners and exacerbating the state’s housing crisis. (Call your Assemblymember NOW and tell them NO NEW RENT CONTROL LAWS - These laws hurt renters more than they help them).

For live updates on SB-567 and what the Assembly is doing visit: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB567

- SB 584 (Limón) Tax on Short-Term Rentals – This bill imposes an as yet unspecified tax on owners of short-term rentals, including working families and others who rent out a portion of their residence as a short-term rental in order to generate additional income to help make ends meet. SB 584 creates the Laborforce Housing Fund and deposits those tax revenues into this Fund. Public entities, local housing authorities, and nonprofit housing corporations will then be able to apply to receive those funds for the construction or rehabilitation of “laborforce housing,” where the maximum allowable annual rent increase for any unit shall not exceed 3% of the rent or 6% of the Consumer Price Index, whichever is less. C.A.R. opposes SB 584: it harms working families and others who offer short-term rentals. (THIS HAS PASSED THE CALIFORNIA SENATE AND IS HEADING TO THE CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY - Call your Assemblymember NOW and tell them, Rent Control hurts tenants more than it would help them)

- SB 466 (FAILED - HAS BEEN TRASHED FOR NOW: (Wahab) Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing – This bill would amend the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. In 1995, C.A.R. successfully sponsored with others AB 1164, also known as the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (Costa-Hawkins), which creates limits on local rent control ordinances by requiring vacancy de-control/re-control and exempting single-family property and new construction from local rent control. SB 466, among other things, eliminates the single-family property exemption under Costa-Hawkins. C.A.R. opposes SB 466: it places more properties under rent control in jurisdictions with local rent control ordinances.

Summary of current active California laws and City of Oxnard ordinances;

• Some properties may be exempt Rent Stabilization Ordinance (3013) if proper paperwork is filed.
• The City of Oxnard has "Required" filings and they also encourage "Non-Required". Know the difference.
• NO PROPERTIES are exempt from Just Cause Eviction & Tenant Protection Ordinance (3012).
• ALL Landlords now have to pay a Relocation Assistance: If the landlord needs their property back or would like to sell, they now owe a relocation benefit to the renter at 2 months worth of rent or $5,000 (whichever is greater).
• Give your Renter a 60day notice to leave = You owe them 2x rent or $5000 in 15days from notice.
• If Renter fails to leave in 60 days and keeps your Relocation benefit - You always have the County Courts at your disposal. Good luck.
• Every Landlord action now requires a 'form' or violations are handed out.
• Many Landlords can only raise rent by a maximum of 4%, one time a year.
• Landlords are now forbidden to add another increase, if already implemented (One cannot make an initial increase of 2% at the beginning of the year and add another 2% increase in the middle of the year). 
• The State of California and City ordinance now mandates required forms for all rented properties (no exemptions), CALL US to discuss the new requirements at (805) 985-5555
• Tenant For Life: After 30 days of occupancy, you get the privilege of having a "tenant for life".
• Oxnard has created a newer and California-ized definition to Just Cause / No Cause evictions. No Oxnard Landlord is exempt.
• Old House – Need to remodel your own property? There may be new guidelines on how to handle your renter when remodeling.
• The city is creating many new jobs for Admin, Counter clerks, Compliance Officers, Education, etc.
• New city jobs come out of your new Landlord fees and fines.
• Many Landlords need a Business License for their properties.
• All Landlords must register ANY and ALL of their rental properties with the City of Oxnard to avoid fines. Need these forms, call me anytime: (805) 985-5555
• Don't want to Register your Rental? Don't want to pay fees? Oxnard has hired new enforcement officers to better serve you.
• Avoid fines or the landlord will delay move out days (Many Landlords have already missed this step).  
• The Language of your tenant will now have to match the language on the forms & lease agreements.
• The Law and Ordinance offers some exemptions to Landlords if certain criteria are met. Example, how title is held on the subject property, age of property, unit count of property, type of property.  However California law and Oxnard City Ordinance still requires documents, disclosures and/or property registration in order to remain compliant.

Important City of Oxnard Rental Accommodations Update:

The California Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) was enacted in 2019 by Governor Gavin Newsom to cap statewide rent increases over the next 10 years. The bill went into effect on January 1, 2020 and currently prevents California landlords from increasing rent more than 5%. The Oxnard City Council recently adopted two ordinances within the scope of AB 1482 effective on June 4, 2022. Oxnard rent control enacts an annual rent “cap” of 4% and also establishes just cause & non-just cause eviction protocol and required relocation fees. If an Oxnard landlord wants a tenant out of their unit, they [landlord] must pay the tenant $5,000 or two months worth of rent (whichever amount is greater) as a relocation fee. This ordinance does more harm than good to Oxnard landlords as the ordinance affects property sales. If a landlord wants to move themselves or family back into their home, the tenant has the authority to deny this request. Furthermore, if a potential buyer is interested in the home and the landlord has the intention of selling it, the current tenant has the first right of refusal. The eviction provisions under AB 1482 provide that a tenancy may only be terminated in the event of “just cause”, also mandating said “just cause” reasons to be stated in the notice of termination. Just cause reasons are pursuant to any reasoning that is “at-fault” or “no-fault”. The relocation fee is required in the instance of a “no-fault” eviction. This entire rent control ordinance applies to units that are Single Family, Condos, Multi-Family units with some exemptions. Exemptions to the ordinance include but are not limited to, single-family owner occupied residences, and residences where the owner and tenant share facilities, and residences where the duplex owner occupies one of the units and did so prior to tenancy. Some SFR and Condos are also exempt if those units meet a certain criteria.The stipulations within the ordinance have already been implemented into Oxnard real estate and can be better understood with our help. The above ordinance summarization(s) are subject to change as the city advances efforts to alter city real estate regulations. Contact Michael at (805) 985-5555 for further questions about general information or exemption qualification and he will provide you with efficient consultation.

Consultation:

• Need Forms? - California Landlords must abide by the new Rent Control Laws with accompanying required forms.
• Need Property Management? - Call us (805) 985-5555.
• “What’s My Home Worth?” - MY HOME VALUE.
• FULL DISCLOSURE: Every Landlord and Tenant's situation may be different so it is most important to gather your advice wisely. Michael Delgado is a Real Estate Broker, but until you hire him he is not your Broker.