Santa Ana landlords are required to register their rental units in a new database designed to keep a record of the city’s inventory and track rent increases in accordance with rent control laws adopted last year.
The City Council adopted the Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance, effective last November. The measures cap rent increases at 3% annually or 80% of inflation, whichever is less, as well as limits in which circumstances landlords can force tenants out. Effective Sept. 1, the allowable rent increase for certain rental units will be 2.54% for the next year – that will be set annually by the City Council.
A Rental Housing Board will be created to oversee the enforcement of the city’s rent control law and offer both tenants and landlords a place to resolve some disputes outside of court. The city is aiming to have the board website and online application live by the end of the month. City spokesperson Paul Eakins said the board could be formed by November, depending on the appointment of members by the City Council.
The registry went live this month online and landlords will have to register their units annually and pay a $100 fee per unit – the cost of which can be split between them and the tenants. The registration fees will help pay for the city’s program, the Rental Housing Board, as well as other fees. The registry will help the city monitor compliance with the new ordinance, officials said.
A landlord can file a “fair return” petition if they feel the rent cap is not enough for them to get a reasonable return on their investment, or a capital improvement petition can be filed to allow rent to be increased to pay for large property projects such as roof repairs. Tenants can also file a petition to have their rent decreased if certain amenities that were once offered are taken away.
“We want to make sure that everybody is on as much of an equal playing field as possible, especially when we saw the hikes in rent and…
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