A California bill to cap rent increases and prohibit certain evictions is on its way to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk following a Wednesday Assembly vote to approve the strongest tenant protection measure this year.
Assembly Bill 1482 would limit how much landlords can annually raise rent to 5 percent plus inflation. The measure would also restrict evictions to a “just cause” reason, meaning unless a renter has violated the terms of the lease, he or she cannot be thrown out. ...
The law would sunset in 2030 and exempts newer houses built within the last 15 years. It also excludes single-family homes not owned by real estate companies, as well as duplexes that the owner also occupies. Landlords could also evict tenants who have lived in the unit for less than a year.
If it's 5% plus inflation each year, at least it shouldn't distort the market too much. With 2% inflation, that's 7% each year, or doubling every 10 years. If applied to Prop 13, for example, the vast majority of properties would be in line with market values or at least pretty close.
This could protect tenants in on way. Sometimes landlords, when they know their tenants are very busy in their lives, with jack up rent 20% and force a 1-year contract; this is sprung on them a month or 2 before the first year is up. The landlord is just taking advantage of the situation to extract above-market rent.
The part about evictions only for "just cause" seems a little overbearing, though.
Can landlords play Inna Gadda Vida over and over again outside their door at 140db like the Marines did with Manuel Noriega until they leave? Or did they play Barbara Streisand 'People Who Love People'?
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB1482