News and Views
August 2, 2009
In this installment of Project Sentinel's "Rent Watch" Q and A, a tenant asks if a landlord can require payment online instead of by check.
The City of Temecula, in a project with a nonprofit affordable housing developer, may acquire a bank-owned housing development to build affordable rental housing.
August 1, 2009
Washington Post "Housing Counsel" columnist discusses a proposal to let homeowners in foreclosure remain in their homes as renters, an idea that is gaining increased attention in Congress.
August 1, 2009
A growing segment of renters in Long Beach and nationwide are being forced out of housing because of evictions and property disputes to which they are not parties.
Rental security deposits held by one of San Francisco's largest residential landlords were funneled into an array of bank accounts and plundered, potentially affecting thousands of tenants, according to lawsuits.
July 31, 2009
10News reports that many renters across San Diego County are getting eviction notices because their landlords are upside down on their loans.
July 31, 2009
Lawyers in a lawsuit against San Francisco landlord, CitiApartments, believe that the company may be siphoning money to various subsidiaries in an effort to avoid returning deposits.
A judge clarifies that a temporary restraining order she issued against East Palo Alto earlier this week only barred the city council from discussing a rent control law at a particular meeting, rather than on an ongoing basis.
Seniors speak at a Jackson City Council meeting pleading for an extension to the city's rent control law for mobile homes.
July 30, 2009
An owner of a mobile home park in Pacific Palisades wants to convert the park spaces from rental units to condominiums. A majority of the residents oppose conversion.
An initiative that would establish rent control and offer ownership of condo conversions at a Fillmore mobile home park will go before voters in a special election.
A company that provides affordable housing for people with special needs is looking to Moreno Valley for its first development of independent living homes.
A national 2008 Consumer Complaint Survey Report indicates a significant increase in tenant complaints including unhealthy or unsafe conditions, failure to make repairs or provide promised amenities, deposit and rent disputes, and illegal eviction tactics.
July 29, 2009
Last week, a California Appellate court took a giant step toward eliminating affordable rental housing in communities across California. In Palmer/Sixth Street Properties v. City of Los Angeles, the Court ruled that a Los Angeles inclusionary housing law was preempted by the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. As a result of this decision, inclusionary housing laws across the state are in jeopardy of being tossed out by over-zealous judges.
July 29, 2009
Last week, we wrote a post about a meeting in East Palo Alto to discuss whether or not area nonprofits should be accepting money from notorious predatory landlord, Page Mill Properties.
This week we had opportunity to attend the meeting. It was very well attended with over a dozen local nonprofits represented as well as the office of San Mateo County Supervisor Rose Jacob Gibson.
In an ongoing battle over rent control in East Palo Alto, Page Mill Properties has obtained a restraining order to prevent the City from discussing revisions to it's Rent Stabilization Ordinance. The Fair Rent Coalition vowed to file a judicial complaint against the judge who issued the order.
Tenants in a San Bernardino neighborhood slated for redevelopment protest plans that may require them to move.
July 29, 2009
The FBI has issued a consumer alert on rental homes listed on Craisglist at very low rates. Would-be renters in California and other states have been victims of this online rental scams.
July 29, 2009
A website called eRentalApplications.com may be luring renters in California into an indentity theft scam.
July 28, 2009
Last week, a California Appellate court took a giant step toward eliminating affordable rental housing in communities across California. The Court ruled that a Los Angeles inclusionary housing law was preempted by the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act.