2011 Report on Sacramento Renter Bills

Monday, June 6, 2011
Dean Preston
Beyond Chron

AB 934 (Feuer) – Rolling Back the Court-Created Immunity for Landlords Who Violate Eviction Laws

AB 934, authored by Assemblymember Mike Feuer (D – Los Angeles), would
have amended California’s litigation privilege, Civil Code 47(b), to
allow tenants and law enforcement to hold landlords responsible for
illegal eviction activity. This bill would have restored essential
tenant protections that existed for decades before the courts improperly
extended immunity to landlords for illegal eviction conduct. Result: AB 934 failed on the Assembly floor. Click here to see how legislators voted.

AB 265 (Ammiano) – Saving Tenants From Unfair Eviction for Late Payment of Rent

AB 265, authored by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D - San Francisco),
provides a right to redemption for residential tenants who are being
evicted for nonpayment of rent. The bill ensure that tenants are not
evicted from their homes over nonpayment of rent if they can come up
with the rent money and specified costs after the expiration of the
3-day pay or quit period.

Result: There was no vote on AB 265. The bill is now a two-year bill, meaning that it will be taken up in the next session.

SB 184 (Leno) – Reestablishing the Ability of Cities to Enforce Inclusionary Housing Laws That Require Affordable Rental Housing

SB 184, authored by Senator Mark Leno (D – San Francisco), makes clear
that state law does not prevent cities from enforcing inclusionary
housing laws that require developers to include affordable rental
housing units as part of new construction. This bill effectively
overrules the Palmer decision, a court case that held that a
local inclusionary housing law was preempted by state law to the extent
it required affordable rentals.

Result: Failed on initial vote on the Senate floor,
reconsideration granted, and it is now a two-year bill, meaning it will
be taken up in the next session.

SB 444 (Evans) – Allow Counties to Stop Mobilehome Park Subdivisions Based on Resident Input

Conversions of mobilehome parks threaten the rent control protections of
park residents. SB 444, authored by Senator Noreen Evans (D – Santa
Rosa) would have clarified that cities have the right to turn down
conversions when residents do not support conversion.

Result: Failed on the Senate Floor. Click here to see how legislators voted.

SB 337 (Kehoe) – Clarifying that Tenants Can Post Political Signs

SB 337, authored by Senator Christine Kehoe (D – San Diego), provides
that a landlord shall not prohibit a tenant from posting or displaying
noncommercial signs, posters, flags, or banners on or within any portion
of the tenant's dwelling unit, unless the postings or display would
violate a local, state, or federal law. Without this bill, many tenants
cannot fully enjoy basic free speech rights to post political signs
without running the risk of receiving an eviction notice.

Result: Passed the Senate and now will head to the assembly. Click here to see how legislators voted.

 

 

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