Page 51 - AAGLA-MAY 2022

The Sacramento Update
THE SACRAMENTO UPDATE
Eviction Moratorium Extension and
Priority Bills
By Kate Bell, Kate Bell Strategies
DEviction Moratorium Extension
uring March, the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles and state organization, the California Rental Housing Association (CalRHA) participated in several negotiations with the state Legislature during their consideration of extending the eviction
moratorium beyond the original sunset date of March 31, 2022. The members of the state’s Legislature were considering extending the eviction moratorium through the end of August; however, in the end, a deal was reached to provide for only a 3-month extension through June 30, 2022, and the agreement was incorporated into Assembly Bill 2179 authored by Assembly Member Grayson. Both the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles and CalRHA steadfastly opposed any further extension of statewide moratoriums on evictions of any kind, but unfortunately, the California Apartment Association officially took a “neutral” position on Assembly Bill 2179 and supported its passage “behind the scenes” which undercut our opposition efforts.
Under Assembly Bill 2179, two components of prior statewide eviction moratorium, Assembly Bill 832, remain for an additional 3-months: (i) protections against eviction for nonpayment of rent, but only in cases where an application for the state’s emergency rental assistance was pending as of March 31, 2022; and (ii) preemption of new local eviction protections or further extensions of eviction protections for nonpayment of rent that were not in place on August 19, 2020. The preemption includes the local eviction moratoriums for COVID-19 related nonpayment of rent in: Los Angeles County, San Francisco, Fresno, etc., but does not impact local jurisdictions such as the cities of Los Angeles or Beverly Hills (and perhaps the City of Pasadena).
Legislative Update
Various policy committee hearings have been proceeding at the state Capitol. Most notably, Assembly Member Wicks’ vaccine mandate, Assembly Bill 1993, was pulled and is no longer moving forward this year. This bill would have required virtually all employees to provide proof of vaccination for COVID-19 to their employers. Additionally, several proposed bills have been amended and have now been made priority bills by the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles to either oppose or support, including, but not limited to, a bill to create a $500 excise tax, a new
bill that would restrict use of the Ellis Act to exit the rental housing business, and statewide tenant opportunity to purchase act (T.O.P.A.) legislation that would force owners of rental property to offer a right of first refusal to renters or designated non-profit organizations when they wish to sell their property.
It is safe to say we are facing far more onerous bills this year than over the last few years. It promises to be a busy year indeed. Below, please find several key bills that CalRHA has been engaged on to date.
(Note: Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles positions, if any, are indicated in BOLD ALL CAPS.)
• Assembly Bill 916. (Salas) Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles and CalRHA sponsored bill, which will remove impediments to Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) construction. SUPPORT
• Assembly Bill 1710. (Lee) “Light Pollution” - Would circumvent the Building Standards Commission and seek to legislate residential and light emitting diodes (LED) that create “light pollution” at night. OPPOSED
• Assembly Bill 1738. (Boerner-Horvath) This bill would require mandatory installation of electric vehicle charging stations in multifamily developments. OPPOSED
• Assembly Bill 1771. (Ward) This bill would, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2023, impose an additional 25% tax on a net capital gain from the sale of a qualified asset and would reduce those taxes depending on how many years has passed since a taxpayer’s initial purchase. OPPOSED
• Assembly Bill 1791. (Nazarian) Excise Tax- The bill would require the Franchise Tax Board to collect and administer a fee of $500 per residential unit owned by a business, as defined. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature that the moneys collected from this fee will be used for the development of affordable housing. OPPOSED
• Assembly Bill 1858. (Quirk-Silva) Would specify that a building be deemed a substandard building when a health officer determines that any listed conditions exist to the extent that it endangers the life, limb, health, property, safety, or welfare of the occupants of the building, nearby residents, or the public. OPPOSED
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