Sacramento Report
by Heidi Palutke
New rental housing forms are here. All new CAA forms, as well as a form chart listing every CAA form and changes to existing forms, are now available on CAA’s website, www.caanet.org. All forms were reformatted and all addenda revised for consistency. Substantive form changes are summarized below.
60-Day Notice
As of January 1, 2007, 60 days’ notice is required to terminate a month-to-month tenancy, if all residents in the unit have lived there for one year or longer. If any resident has lived in the unit for less than one year, 30 days’ notice is permitted under the new law. CAA has changed numerous forms, including the CAA rental/lease agreement, to reflect this new requirement.
New Form: Rental Reference Form
This form is designed to help owners obtain objective information from prior property managers/owners about an applicant’s rental history.
New Form: 90-Day Notice for Section 8
This form is designed to provide the 90-day notice required by California law when terminating a Section 8 tenancy without cause.
Member Requests: Payment Due Dates, Number of Signatures
In response to member requests, two signature lines have been added to the rental/lease agreement, all addenda and several other forms, bringing the total number of signature lines to four. Also, the office hours section on the rental/lease agreement and other forms was revised to allow an owner to specify different hours on different days.
Consent to Criminal Background Checks
The instructions for the rental application were revised to indicate that the applicant’s signature on that form does not constitute consent to run a criminal background check.
Satellite and Waterbed Addenda
CAA has rewritten these forms to more accurately reflect existing legal requirements. The satellite addendum can now be used in a situation where a resident has multiple dishes, as allowed by federal law. CAA has revised the waterbed addendum, using the same terminology that is found in state law (“liquid-filling bedding material” in place of “liquid-filled furniture”).
Looking Ahead to 2007
In 2007, the CAA Compliance Committee will consider a number of issues, including renters’ insurance, notices regarding methamphetamine contamination and cleanup, and immigration status. In addition, a new compliance material package regarding modifications and accommodations for the disabled will be available.
CAA updates its forms regularly as a result of changes in state law, legal decisions and emerging best practices. Rental housing owners are urged to use the most current forms available and to check CAA’s website regularly for changes in the laws governing rental housing operations.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of SFAA or SF Apartment Magazine. Heidi Palutke is the research and legislative counsel for CAA. Her principal responsibilities include environmental issues, coordination of the association’s litigation projects, and maintenance of an information system that catalogues and disseminates information and training materials for CAA members, lawmakers and the general public. Copyright © 2007 by SF Apartment Magazine. All rights reserved.