

Berkeley : Where No Vacant Unit Goes Untaxed
Starting January 1, 2024, Berkeley units left “vacant” for a total of 182 days in a given calendar year may be subject to the “empty home tax” (BMC 7.54).
Anna Baryudin
2 min read


New! Commercial Tenant Protections as of January 1, 2025
The Commercial Tenant Protection Act, SB1103, went into effect on January 1, 2025. This new law introduced a number of protections for a new category of commercial tenants that the law calls “qualified commercial tenant.”
William C. Lynn
4 min read


Q&A: What steps can I take if my tenant is smoking in their unit and my lease prohibits smoking?
It is not uncommon for second-hand smoke coming from a rental unit to bother neighbors, particularly those with minor children. Also,...
Steven C. Williams
1 min read


R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Mediation Civility
Old sins cast long shadows. This idiom is true for Agatha Christie’s Monsieur Hercule Poirot and for counsel in mediation. Picture it…a...
Alana Grice Conner
4 min read


Q&A: Is Texting or Emailing a Tenant Legally Binding?
Remember the fax machine? It was an innovative marvel of communication when it came out. Fast forward 50 years, and it is all but...
Steven C. Williams
1 min read


San Francisco Rental Unit Registration Begins
The San Francisco Housing Inventory Reporting Ordinance will require owners to report information on the current use of all residential...
Clifford E. Fried
2 min read