2020 is shaping up to be a year of serious change in California for renters and owners alike. The latest change is taking place in Seaside, CA where the City Council is considering a rental registry and recently had a special meeting in their council chambers to discuss it.

The city council seems like they are on board with the concept of a rental registry since they feel that it’s a concept that many cities in California have already adopted. Is it a good idea for Seaside though?

Thanks to recent input from city council members we know that the goal of their rental registry would be to do things like requiring annual inspections of rental properties to ensure that they are being well-maintained and are up to code.

Seaside, CA also wants to have a rent review board that would give tenants a public forum to engage landlords about possible rent increases, etc.

Is A Rental Registry A Good Thing?

Although a rental registry sounds good, the reality is that such a program would only cost Seaside, CA, homeowners, more money while increasing the revenue that Seaside receives from the program.

Rental registries are nothing new, the city of Salinas, CA has supported the creation of a rental registry while other cities in California like Hemet, Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Jose all have rental registries created.

Some Owners Pay Hefty Fines for Failing to Register for Their City’s Rental Registry

An example of how much money Seaside, CA could make from a rental registry can be found in Fresno, CA. Their rental registry requires all owners to register, which can be done for free, but the catch is if an owner doesn’t register, they can face a penalty of up to $1,000.

These fees that owners will only add up over time and bring in more money for the city while owners have to continue dealing with the new economic reality of owning rental properties in California.

Most people will agree that California’s rental market is tight right now but is adding more bureaucracy the solution to the problem? The answer to this question is no. Increasing supply has always been the answer to solving the housing crisis in California.

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