State legislators are considering housing bills this month that would loosen the landmark Costa Hawkins Rental Housing Act and expand rent control.

Four bills aimed at protecting renters through anti-gouging caps, eviction restrictions, and a statewide rental registry will be debated to address the run-up in marketrate rents over the past five years and a growing homelessness crisis.

State trade groups representing apartment owners, investors and developers continue to hold the position that applying rent control statewide and allowing rent caps on single family homes and newer construction would only worsen our housing shortfall.

Tenant advocates and activists, including those with Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, note that millions of California tenants must spend more than 1/3 of their pay on rent, and many are an eviction away from being on the street.

Assembly Bill 36 would loosen Costa Hawkins by allowing cities to place rent control on buildings 10 years or older and single family homes throughout California. Property owners of one or two units would be exempted.

Assembly Bill 1482, often referred to as the anti-rent-gouging bill, would put annual rent caps in place, prohibiting residential property owners from increasing the rent more than a specified percentage each year.

Assembly Bill 1481 would require landlords to give a reason for evicting a tenant, such as failure to pay rent, a substantial breach of the lease, or use of the property for illegal activity. Under current state law, property owners can terminate a tenancy with a 30- or 60-day notice without listing a cause.

Assembly Bill 724 would create a statewide rental registry, giving lawmakers and the public better information about rental units, such as evictions and rent increases.

Adriana Donofrio • deasypennerpodley Glendora (626) 926-9700 adonofrio@dppre.com