Housing Authorities across California, including the Housing Authority of the County of San Mateo (HACSM), have received new guidance from California’s Attorney General, Rob Bonta, on their role in enforcing the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (TPA). Among other tenant protections, the TPA prohibited annual rent increases greater than the lower of 10% or 5% plus inflation according to the regional Consumer Price Index. In a letter dated June 29, 2023, the Attorney General clarified that landlords of tenants who receive a rental subsidy under the federal Housing Choice Voucher program are subject to the TPA annual limits on rent increases and reminded Housing Authorities of their responsibility to enforce state and local rent limits when landlords propose a rent increase. HACSM Executive Director, Ray Hodges, commented: “We are pleased to receive this clarification from the Attorney General, giving us clear legal authority to enforce the rent limits of the TPA when we review landlord proposals to increase rents paid by our Housing Choice Voucher holders, who are among the community’s most vulnerable tenants.”
October 5, 2023