Bill Introductions Are Picking Up in Advance of February 16th Deadline

Legislative Update

The bill introduction deadline is this Friday, February 16, 2024.  The Apartment Association and its affiliates are working with Assemblymember Wendy Carillo (D-Los Angeles) as a sponsor to her bill which would have the Housing and Community Development Department publish the correct allowable rent increases under the Tenant Protections Act of 2019 (a/k/a, Assembly Bill 1482) in August of each year.  This will provide clarity and reliability for rental housing providers. 

Furthermore, the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles has been advocating for the state to provide a shallow rent subsidy for tenants who are at risk of losing housing. Accordingly, we are pleased to announce that legislation has been introduced on the issue in 2024 in the form of Assembly Bil 1813 (Assemblymember Alanis: R-Modesto) and Assembly BIll 2498 (Assemblymember Zbur: D-Santa Monica).  The concept of a shallow rent subsidy will continue to be a priority for the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles in its advocacy efforst for not just rental property providers, but also to provide necessary assistance for tenants that are in need of additional resources. 

Other proposed state bills of interest to date, include:

• Assembly Bill 2059 (Asm. Flora: R-Ripon) - Obligations of Landlords: Repairs: This bill would prohibit a landlord from being liable for dilapidations rendering the premises untenantable, unless the landlord receives written or oral notice of the dilapidations and the landlord is given a reasonable time to repair the dilapidations.

• Assembly Bill 2114 (Asm. Irwin: D-Thousand Oaks) - Exterior Elevated Elements (Balcony): Inspection: This bill would also allow licensed civil engineers to perform balcony inspections and inspections of other exterior elevated elements of a property.

• Assembly Bill 2187 (Asm. Bryan: D-Culver City) - Office of Tenants’ Rights and Protections: This is a “placeholder” bill stating the intent of the Legislature would be to enact subsequent legislation to establish an Office of Tenants’ Rights and Protections.

• Assembly Bill 2493 (Asm. Pellerin: D-Santa Cruz) - Application Screening Fee: Waiting List: This bill wojld prohibit a landlord or their agent from charging an applicant an application screening fee to be entered onto a waiting list when they know or should have known that no rental unit is available at that time or will be available within a reasonable period of time.

• Assembly Bill 2498 (Asm. Zbur: D-Santa Monica) - California Housing Security Act: This bill would, upon appropriation of the Legislature, establish the California Housing Security Program to provide a housing subsidy to eligible persons, as specified, to reduce housing insecurity and help Californians meet their basic housing needs. To create the program, the bill would require the Department of Housing and Community Development to establish a 2-year pilot program in up to four specified counties. The bill would require the department to issue guidelines to establish the program that include, among other things, the amount of the subsidy that shall be the amount necessary to cover the portion of a person’s rent to prevent homelessness but shall not exceed $2,000 per month.

Kate Bell, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kate Bell Strategies is a former Partner of Capitol Advocacy, which is ranked among California’s top lobbying firms. Ms. Bell’s firm specializes in lobbying, strategic planning, coalition building, budget advocacy, procurement, and political involvement.  Kate Bell Strategies and Capitol Advocacy represent the interests of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles through its affiliation with the California Rental Housing Association.  Both firms are based in Sacramento.