Vision Magazine Fall 2020

Page 23

AFFORDABLE HOUSING, RENTAL ASSISTANCE SURFACE AS KEY ISSUES CID bills moving through session address rental restrictions and short-term rentals.

T

he Legislature continues to do its work but in a much more truncated

fashion. After losing months of session, they’ve had to do their business in a very condensed timeframe. Even with a significant downsizing of bills, hearings are being held every

By Jennifer Wada, Esq.

SB 1410 (Caballero and Bradford) would

As for CID-specific legislation, one bill that is

provide tax credits to property owners as

still moving through the legislative session

compensation for not evicting tenants who

is AB 3182 (Ting). This bill would restrict an

do not pay their full rent during the COVID-19

association’s ability to impose rental restrictions

state of emergency. It would also require these

of more than 25% of the separate interests

tenants to repay the state for this deferred

in the CID. It clarifies that ADUs and JADUs

unpaid rent, unless they qualify for income-

are not counted toward this cap. This bill

based exemptions at the time of repayment.

originally prohibited any rental restriction and CACM worked alongside CAI to eliminate this

AB 1436 (Chiu) would protect tenants unable

outright prohibition. Despite the 25% cap, the

to pay their rent due to COVID-19 from

bill does authorize an HOA to adopt a higher

evictions, as well as homeowners struggling to

percentage of rental restrictions in order to help

make their mortgages from foreclosure. After

buyers qualify for loans insured by the FHA or

failing passage in the Assembly, the contents

guaranteed by the Department of Veterans

legislators are remote or proxy

of AB 2501 (written about in the last update)

Affairs, the Federal Mortgage Association, or

voting.

have been amended into this bill and would

the Federal Home Mortgage Loan Corporation.

require a mortgage servicer, mortgagee,

It also allows a higher percentage to facilitate

One of the most pressing issues

trustee, beneficiary or authorized agent

loan financing or to facilitate the acquisition

at the end of this session is the

from continuing any judicial or nonjudicial

and maintenance of insurance and industry-

battle over affordable housing

foreclosure action, recording a notice of default

recognized HOA rates. AB 3182 does have an

and rental assistance – issues

or taking any action to evict a person following

important silver lining: it specifically authorizes

made even more pronounced

a foreclosure during the COVID-19 emergency

CIDs to prohibit short-term rentals of 30 days

by the pandemic. Warning

and 180 days thereafter.

or less. In the Senate Housing committee,

day, including weekends, and lasting hours on end. Witness testimony is being taken over the phone and, in some cases, even

of a potential “homelessness Armageddon,” if the current eviction moratorium isn’t extended and loopholes in the law aren’t plugged, lawmakers are struggling to pass an affordable housing package before the end of session. This package focuses on eviction protections and financial assistance for affordable housing providers, but also considers ways to prevent another foreclosure crisis. Some of the bills included in this package are:

the Chair recommended an amendment SB 1079 (Skinner) would forbid a foreclosure

that would clarify that any longer terms in

trustee from bundling properties for sale at

governing documents would be deemed at

a foreclosure auction, instead requiring that

30 days in order to avoid associations feeling

each property be bid on separately. The only

like they needed to amend their governing

exception to this restriction is if the deed

documents. This amendment is not in the bill

of trust or mortgage requires otherwise.

yet but is in the process of being drafted.

According to the author, the point of this bill is to prevent corporate takeovers of housing that

Speaking of short-term rentals, SB 1049

are devastating for low- and moderate-income

(Glazer) would increase fines that cities are

families. She also states that when these

allowed to impose on short-term rental hosts

investors then cash out, many corporations

who violate local property laws. It would

leave homes vacant and in disrepair. The bill is

authorize imposition of fines up to $5,000 for a

intended to provide safeguards against another

violation of a short-term ordinance. The author

foreclosure crisis as many people are falling

states that their recent proliferation during

behind on mortgage payments due to the

the pandemic has allowed bad actors to use

COVID-19 induced recession.

these rentals for large parties and a shortContinues on page 24 cacm.org | Vision Fall 2020

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