

Unincorporated Alameda County Just (Got) Cause for Eviction!
Effective March 6, 2025, landlords in unincorporated areas of Alameda County may find their properties subject to eviction control (A.C.O. Chapter 3.70); specifically, some tenants can now only be evicted through one (1) of eleven (11) just causes listed in AB 1482 / Civil Code §1946.2(b) (the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 – “TPA”). The exemptions also mostly track the TPA, and can be found in Civil Code §1946.2(e).
Anna Baryudin
2 min read


Who Controls the ISP in a Multi-Unit Building?
Though landlords are not generally required to provide internet, some choose to do so. Commonly, those landlords will enter into bulk service agreement with internet service providers (ISPs), and the lease will reflect the tenants’ obligation to pay their share of the internet. But what if a tenant asks for an alternative ISP? Or another ISP demands access to the building under threat of lawsuit?
Anna Baryudin
2 min read


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


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