CalRHA Legislative Update For February 2024

Policy Update

The Senate Pro Tem, Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) has now taken the helm in the Senate and announced several changes to the Senate Committees, which can be found here. Of note, Senator Scott Weiner (D-SF) is now the Chair of the Senate Budget Committee, Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) is Chair of Senate Housing Committee, and Senator Anna Caballero (D-Merced) is the new Chair of Senate Appropriations. Senator Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) retained his Chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee.

Full membership of the Housing Committee is:
•Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), Chair
•Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa), Vice-Chair
•Senator Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas)
•Senator Anna M. Caballero (D-Merced)
•Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose)
•Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton)
•Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley)
•Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego)
•Senator Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta)
•Senator Thomas J. Umberg (D-Santa Ana)
•Senator Aisha Wahab (D-Hayward)

Full membership of the Senate Judiciary Committee is:
•Senator Thomas J. Umberg (D-Santa Ana), Chair
•Senator Roger W. Niello (R-Fair Oaks), Vice-Chair 
•Senator Benjamin Allen (D-Santa Monica)
•Senator Angelique V. Ashby (D-Sacramento)
•Senator Anna M. Caballero (D-Merced)
•Senator María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles)
•Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz)
•Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine)
•Senator Henry I. Stern (D-Los Angeles)
•Senator Aisha Wahab (D-Hayward)
•Senator Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita)
 
   

Legislative Update

The bill introduction deadline is this Friday, February 16th. There will be many more bills coming into print in the coming days. However, several bills are highlighted below. In 2024, CalRHA is 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 every August. This will provide clarity and reliability for rental property providers.

Furthermore, CalRHA has been advocating for a shallow rent subsidy for tenants who are at risk of losing housing.

Therefore, we are pleased to support the legislation that has been introduced on the issue in 2024 in the form of AB 1813 (Alanis, R-Modesto) and AB 2498 (Zbur, D-Santa Monica). It will continue to be a priority for CalRHA to advocate for not just rental property providers, but for the necessary assistance for tenants that are in need of additional resources.

BILLS OF INTEREST (TO DATE)

• AB 2059 (Flora, R-Ripon) - Tenancy: 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.

• AB 2114 (Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks) - Exterior Elevated Elements: Inspection - This bill would also allow licensed civil engineers to perform balcony inspections.

• AB 2187 (Bryan, D-Culver City) - Office of Tenants’ Rights and Protections - Placeholder bill stating the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation to establish the Office of Tenants’ Rights and Protections.

• AB 2493 (Pellerin, D-Santa Cruz) - Tenancy: Application Screening Fee: Waiting List - Would 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.

• AB 2498 (Zbur, D-Santa Monica) - Housing: the California Housing Security Act - 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 4 counties, as specified. 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.