(a.) California RENT CONTROL (AB 1482)

(b.) NEW Ventura & Port Hueneme & Santa Paula Rent Control Ordinance talks and discussion

(c.) California SB-567 amend prior law (April 1, 2024)

(d.) Oxnard Rent Stabilization Rent Control Ordinance NO. 3012 & NO. 3013

(f.) City of Goleta "Tenant Protection Urgency Ordinance Dec/19/2023.

(g.) City of Santa Paula is now joining rent control / many City Council meetings.

(h.) California - Renter's Security Deposit restrictions (AB12) now law

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

- as of October 2024

- ON THE BALLOT NOW:  LANDLORDS VOTE NO on Prop33.  California Proposition 33, Prohibit State Limitations on Local Rent Control Initiative (2024)

Ballot text: Expands local governments' authority to enact rent control on residential property. Initiative statute. (1) residential properties that were first occupied after February 1, 1995; (2) single-family homes; and (3) condominiums. This measure would repeal that state law and would prohibit the state from limiting the right of cities and counties to maintain, enact, or expand residential 

June 6th 2024 Update for Oxnard:  ANNUAL LANDLORDS REGISTATION and FEES.  The Oxnard Housing Dept. has guesstimated that Oxnard possesses 22,000+ rental units and each unit will be charged a registration fee.  If you have an Oxnard rental - you will be paying a Registration fee.  And if you choose to hide the fact that your property is a rental; Ignorance of the law is no excuse so you can expect added late fees and penalties that will stack and be called due in full a once they find out you own a rental (Oxnard's best source of information are the RENTERS).  So Oxnard is now starting to ask ALL Landlords to REGISTER each of their rental properties (need the proper form? call me 805-985-5555).  Yes, Landlords now have new laws and are a profit center for the City.

- SANTA BARBARA City Council Members have passed New Rent Control ordinance.  More to come!

- 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.  It looks like Landlords will now have to start increasing rent for DOGS instead of a Pet Deposit,.  Click here to learn more about AB12.

AB2116 learn what's about to be new:  But wait! There's more.  Your legislators hailed to get it right so they won't stop there. They are hard at work brining you AB2116 for Jan, 2025. Landlords cannot prevent a tenant from owning a common household pet without reasonable justification.... (more to come)

NEW, 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.

Effective April 1, 2024:  SB 567 (Durazo) Basically since the State of California passing laws that are not well thought up, they need to change and amend often.  SB567 is pretty much corrects the poorly passed AB-1482 but with expensive fines and punitive damages to Landlords.  Read more about SB-567

- SB 584 (Limón) Tax on Short-Term Rentals – More to come.

- SB 466 (FAILED - HAS BEEN TRASHED FOR NOW: 

- City of Goleta City Council has passed an Urgency Ordinance of Tenant Protections Dec/19/2023

- AB-1033 Good NEWS; Homeowners can now sell off an ADU on their property.   3 units on 1 lot?  Sell them off and split them up.

Summary of current active California laws and/or City ordinances;

• Some properties may be exempt Rent Stabilization laws if proper paperwork is filed.
• Cities will "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 Oxnard renter at 2 months worth of rent or $5,000 (whichever is greater). California Landlords - relocation assistances is 1x month's rent to Renter within 15 days of notice. You will find that Oxnard is more strict.
• 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.
• Per City of Oxnard: After you give your renter Notice of Termination, within 5 days you must also send notice to City Housing dept.
• Every Landlord action now requires a 'form' or violations are handed out.
• NO! Can Landlord ask for more than 1month rent as security? NO!
• NO! Can Landlord charge more than 1month rent as a pet deposit? NO!
• Many Landlords can only raise rent by a maximum of 4-5%, 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 cities are creating many new jobs for Admin, Counter clerks, Compliance Officers, Education, etc. Rent Control costs Oxnard Landlords $2m a year in fees and fines.
• New city jobs come out of your new Landlord fees and fines.
• Landlords need a Business License for their properties? Who would've thought?
• Learn about Landlord registry and tracking and needed 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. Always seek legal advise from your attorney for your specific situation.