News Alert: Alhambra Eliminates Substantial Remodels at Rental Properties Until the End of 2023
At its May 22nd City Council meeting, the Alhambra City Council unanimously adopted an urgency ordinance prohibiting “No-Fault” substantial remodel tenancy terminations for rental properties. Since the ordinance was passed as an “Urgency Ordinance”, it becomes effective immediately and will remain in effect through December 31, 2023. We encourage members who own rental properties in Alhambra to view the full details of the ordinance (see below).
The ordinance applies to all rental properties, excluding:
- Single Family Residences or Condominiums that are not owned by a corporation, limited liability company with a corporate member or Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) and the owners have provided proper notice according to Assembly Bill 1482,
- Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) or Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADU) where the owner lives onsite in one of the units,
- A duplex where the owner lives in one of the units, and
- Certain other properties that are also exempted from Assembly Bill 1482.
In addition, the ordinance does not apply to renters who have not occupied the unit for at least 12 months.
The ordinance also does not apply to properties requiring substantial remodels that are necessary to bring the property into compliance with applicable codes and laws affecting health and safety of renters of the building or to remedy an outstanding notice of violation for the same. However, the owner must: (i) obtain all necessary building permits related to the substantial remodel from the City of Alhambra, (ii) provide of the permits to the renter, and (iii) provide the renter with a written detailed account of the scope of the work, why the work cannot be reasonably accomplished in a safe manner with the renter in place, and why the work cannot be completed within 30 days.
According to the staff report, the ordinance was being proposed in response to several renters in “large apartment complexes” who alleged of being threatened with eviction due to substantial remodels owners last year and additional renters claiming “impending” evictions at the May 8th City Council meeting. During the City Council meeting on Monday deliberations were brief and only Council Member Lee made direct comments recognizing the burden on independent mom and pop rental housing providers. Ultimately, the City Council voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance as an urgency measure.
AAGLA actively advocated in opposition to the ordinance by reaching out to City Council members prior to the meeting, by submitting formal written comments and providing public comments during the City Council meeting. We argued that there was no data presented by City staff confirming the claims being made by renters or that any investigation of them had taken place by City staff and that no specific housing owner in Alhambra had been identified as threatening such evictions. Thus, we urged the Council to adopt a mediation program similar to the very successful program in Santa Barbara to address any disagreements between renters and rental housing providers and gather additional data on occurrences happening in Alhambra. Unfortunately, the Council pushed forward with the ordinance and will now consider drafting a permanent ordinance restricting substantial remodels.
AAGLA will continue to engage with the Council as the permanent ordinance is drafted to advocate for our members' interests. We will provide additional updates when the draft is presented to the Council.
Help us fight against these harmful restrictions on rental housing providers in Alhambra. Your City Council Members need to hear your personal stories and how their actions are hurting your business. Join us on an AAGLA Advocacy Team today by emailing Max Sherman at max@aagla.org.
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This article is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions regarding your property or specific tenancies and the requirements of any local law changes described herein, please consult with an attorney.