Everything You Need to Know About the New California Rent Cap Bill
WHAT IS AB 1482?
AB 1482 was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday, October 8th, 2019.
This law will go into effect Jan. 1st, 2020 and will begin to place a statewide rent increase cap of 5% (plus inflation adjustment so around 7% for most cities). This law will also restrict the reasons in which a landlord can evict a tenant; landlords must have “just cause” in order to terminate a lease with a tenant
This new bill will not necessarily override Los Angeles’s current and in some respects more vigorous rent control laws. However, it will benefit the tenants currently residing within the thousands of units not covered under existing local rent control protections because of the date they were built. For example, beginning January 1st, 2020, units built in 2005 or before will fall under the purview of the rent cap. In 2021, circa 2006 homes will also be affected, and so on.
WHEN CAN TENANTS BE EVICTED?
Tenants can be evicted for two separate reasonings:
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If a tenant in some way violates the lease (they failed to pay rent, disturbed their neighbors, broke a clause in their lease agreement etc.)
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If a Landlord wants to move into a unit, wants to make significant alterations to the home, or wants to take the property off the market altogether, then they would be allowed to remove the tenant so long as they paid them the proper relocation payment of one month’s rent.
These protections will only apply for tenants who have resided in their apartment for 12 months or more.
Since this bill will not go into effect until January 1st of 2020, this means that many Landlords may be trying to preemptively evict many tenants in order to increase rent before the law goes into effect.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?
If you feel as though you may be the victim of an unjust or unlawful eviction that may be in connection with this bill, we urge you to reach out to our offices so that we can offer you legal assistance in disputing these unfair actions. The Tenants Law Firm offers free consultations every weekday and we would be more than willing to assist those of you who may be falling victim to the unintended consequences of this bill.