Rent Control Laws in California -other States- Rapidly Expanding

[Susan O.]

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-costa-hawkins-repeal-20170314-story.html

Currently there is a movement to dramatically expand Rent Control through California.  In the past there were basic restrictions on how harsh of restrictions that cities can put on property owners and mom and pop landlords.   A lot of politicians are backing these rent controls as a sort of populist movement to get votes, even if it can lead to blight, and ruin local economies.

This is the biggest law shift which will first affect major cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Long Beach, Oakland, San Diego, Orange County cities.  These sorts of pushes for rent control have lead to blight in neighborhoods like Oakland, South LA and other areas where rents have not provided enough income to provide for basic repairs to properties. 

New ordinances being pushed will affect NEWER buildings not just older properties.  Right now there is a block on 1995 buildings and later having rent control.  So to those of you who are in Los Angeles or San Francisco with newer buildings that are not affected, be careful.   Also smaller buildings even SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES and smaller mom and pop landlords will be more open to rent controls.

There are also pushes in cities like Long Beach and Santa Monica for mandating voucher programs.  Like forcing landlords to take section 8- not giving landllords the option of who they can rent to.

(In some cities like Santa Monica and West Hollywood you have to pay $10-$20,000 to even relocate a rent controlled apartment to take off the market.  For instance if you want to move into your own duplex you would have to pay a tenant $20,000 to move before you can even move into your own hard earned home!!)

http://www.tenantstogether.org/updates/biggest-renter-convening-decades-will-happen-fall In fall they will have the largest Renter's rights meeting ever - pushing for rent control in California cities.  This will spread to other states and take away property owner basic rights.

https://storify.com/TenantsTogether/california-renter-power-2017 multiple organizations, some funded as non-profits are pushing for strict RENT CONTROLS.  They are very well organized groups heavily funded by politicians.

[Amit M.]

I agree, these tenant activist movements could spell real trouble, especially for small California landlords! All CA landlords should seek out and join their local landlord advocacy associations. In San Francisco there is SPOSFI, which is only $75/year and includes a very good monthly newsletter. These groups help organize opposition to local and state legislation unfriendly to property owners. 

Right now there is an effort to overturn Costa-Hawkins at the state level. This important ruling basically outlawed rent control on SFHs and condos, as well as new construction (bldgs after 1979 in SF, other years in other cities) as well as vacancy control (meaning that you can't raise the rent to market EVEN AFTER a tenant vacates- permanent low rent- a total disaster!)  Although I am hearing that this probably won't pass, if it does we are royally screwed!

Keep in mind that tenant activists go wild when rents sky rocket, which has led to all these new initiatives. A recession, while bad for landlords in general, at least has the side effect of quelling the activists!  (Hard to justify politically when vacancies are up, and rents are down.)  So, at least there is that to look forward to...sort of ;)