San Francisco’s mayoral race has become charged in a very Bay Area way in an epic battle between progressives and moderates. This New Yorker…
In the vast majority of cases of strained landlord-tenant relationships that cross our desk, a tenant’s alleged transgression is “curable,” meaning the tenant can…
As proud East Bay residents, we encouragingly watched Oakland become an emerging force throughout the Bay Area. Yet Bornstein Law has always maintained…
Section 8 housing has been the subject of some controversy and conflict lately. With a good deal of misinformation floating around, widespread landlord bias…
As its name implies, a tenant buy-out agreement (or in Oakland’s vernacular, a move-out agreement) is an arrangement whereby the tenant voluntarily vacates the…
Airbnb may have won many people’s choice awards, but it hasn’t gotten many points with its hometown. Now, the city seems to have tamed…
We came across an intriguing case of a couple that sought court intervention to force their 30-year old son to move out after overwhelming…
Immigration was a divisive topic in 2017, but California has been the capital of democratic resistance in the Trump era, making a concerted effort to…
A little bit off the mark? “After weeks of political wrangling, San Francisco is poised today to approve legislation that would allow the creation…
As heavy consumers of Bay Area housing news, we came across this article chronicling the plight of Cindy Chau, a tenant who thought she found a…
Although tenant screening is critically important in any rental business, it seems that the law and a culture of forgiveness stand to obstruct housing…
“We print buildings” is the motto of Apis Cor, a Russian based company that has a unique mobile 3D building printer that is capable of…
Some time ago, we wrote an article on ‘fake’ emotional support animals and cited proposed legislation aimed at making it more difficult for a…
We’ve all seen and heard the inspirational home improvement commercials about doing and saving. It goes something like, “we’ve got this, look what we’ve…
Californians have felt the pain of the housing crunch, but perhaps no other group is more acutely affected by the shortfall than students scraping…
Law Surrounding Accessory Dwelling Units, Aka ‘Granny Flats’ Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), colloquially known as in-law units or granny flats, are gaining popularity throughout the…
Perhaps one of the most thankless and trying, but necessary duties of a landlord is evicting tenants when the tenant violates one of the…
Finding a model tenant who pays rent on time, studiously cares for the rental unit, and is a good neighbor can be a challenging…
The Chief Economist for Redfin predicts that rising prices, an uptick in rates, and higher property taxes will lead to more roommate arrangements due…
Airbnb’s steely legal team is no stranger to litigation, whether defending an array of lawsuits around the globe or bringing their own fight to…
Progressives and environmentalists are increasingly coming around to the reality that new housing will advance their agenda. Meaningful housing policy changes will be shaped…
The legal saga of Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms has been anything but transitory, but it seems that things are settling down and…
If you’ve been following us for any length of time, we’re probably preaching to the choir now when we say that tenant rights advocates…
In an earlier post, we stressed the importance of property owners and managers to take care in screening prospective tenants in a complete, deliberate…
There’s never a dull moment with Silicon Valley’s most prized unicorn. Airbnb made the national spotlight again, this time for the blatantly racist text…
In our last post, we urged landlords and property managers to take immediate steps to correct hoarding behavior when it is discovered. The tenant…
It is well established that void contracts cannot be enforced by law. Clearly, drug dealers cannot enforce an agreement with narcotics buyers. Robbers may…
Whoever came up with the clever phrase that a rising tide lifts all ships clearly did not have Section 8 housing in mind. In…
Habitability Issues Can Tank A Just Cause Eviction Action Failing to provide a safe, sanitary and secure residence is an affirmative defense a tenant or…
The jury is still out for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R.1), more popularly known as tax reform or the GOP tax plan.…
Clearly, tenant screening is one of the most important aspects of your rental business, but today’s climate makes this essential task more difficult as…
California recognizes both the tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment of the premises and the owner’s right to access the unit under limited circumstances. Translation:…