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Updates on California Housing Laws 2024

Updated: Mar 15



On Jan. 1, California became the first state in the nation to provide universal health insurance to those immigrants. Starting this year, 750,000 adults between the ages of 26 and 49 years old are now eligible for Medi-Cal benefits.


In May 2022, a California law allowed undocumented adults 50 or older to receive health care through the program.


You must be a resident of California and have lived in the state for at least 3 months.


Covered California https://www.coveredca.com/ 


County Social Services Agency https://www.coveredca.com/apply/ 


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1. On Oct. 11, Gov. Newsom approved Assembly Bill 12, which will prevent landlords from charging renters two to three times the amount of monthly rent as a security deposit, the bill states. Renters in California can no longer be asked for a security deposit larger than one month’s rent for leases signed on or after July 1.


2. How do new state laws change evictions?


Beginning April 1, landlords will not be able to evict tenants with the hopes of moving in their own family members if there is no other space vacant on the landlord’s property.


If no other space is available, the landlord can lawfully evict a tenant but must prove they are moving in family members within 90 days after the tenant is evicted and that they will occupy the unit for at least one year.


3. CREDIT HISTORY


If someone applying for a lease has a government rental subsidy, such as Section 8, Senate Bill 267 prohibits rental property owners from using an applicant’s credit history to determine their financial eligibility without offering them the opportunity to provide evidence of legal means to pay rent instead.


Under the new law, if the applicant is able to verify that they can afford to pay rent, the landlord is required to consider them during the application process regardless of their credit history.


4. SCREENING FEE RECEIPTS As opposed to hand-delivering or mailing a receipt for a screening fee,


Assembly Bill 1764 will allow landlords and people applying to become tenants to use email as long as both parties agree. This law will go into effect on Jan. 1.


MICROMOBILITY DEVICES


Senate Bill 712 prevents landlords from prohibiting their tenants from owning and charging electronic bikes and scooters in their apartments as long as the batteries comply with safety standards. If the device does not meet these standards, landlords can require the tenant to have insurance for the device and store it outside the unit. These new regulations will take effect Jan. 1.


DISABILITIES


Assembly Bill 1620 allows local governments that have enacted rent control to maintain the same rent amount if the tenant requests to move to a more ideal or smaller unit due to a permanent disability related to mobility.


If there is no elevator on the floor of the tenant’s current rental unit, the landlord must allow the move as long as the new unit is in the same building, shares the same owner and does not require renovation to comply with California’s Health and Safety Code.


NO TRESPASS LETTERS


Senate Bill 602 allows property owners to extend a “no trespass” letter from 30 days up to one year or for an amount of time determined by a local jurisdiction. If a “no trespass” letter is on file, landlords won’t need to go to court to have law enforcement evict an individual who claims to be a legal tenant. The bill will be effective Jan. 1.

 

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New Traffic Laws


California undocumented students gaining greater financial aid with new application

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