Last updated September 2026. This article updates our 2015 post on Los Angeles' then-new soft-story retrofit law. In 2015 the City of Los Angeles adopted the most aggressive seismic retrofit requirements in the country. More than a decade later, the first program is essentially past its...
RecycLA is a new program that has divided Los Angeles into eleven zones for easier management of trash and implementation of recycling for all businesses....
California legislature passes new pest control laws. Integrated Pest Management no longer optional....
Last updated October 2026. This article updates our 2015 post on resident manager pay rules. Many California apartment buildings are required to have a manager living on site, and paying that manager correctly is one of the most common compliance problems we see. The rules change...
By Wolf Baschung, CCIM, CPM. Last updated September 2026. This article updates our earlier post on ratio utility billing. Most older Los Angeles apartment buildings have one master meter for water and sewer, and often for gas. The owner pays one bill for the whole property....
Last updated September 2026. Our original post showed a static map image, which is no longer current. The tools below give an accurate answer for any address. Whether a building is covered by the City of Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) affects its rents, its...
Last updated September 2026. California's security deposit rules changed substantially; this article reflects current law. The security deposit is one of the most regulated parts of a California lease. It is also one of the most common sources of disputes between tenants and landlords. Recent laws...
Last updated October 2026. This guide replaces our earlier posts on the RSO, the 2007 rent control expansion and the housing department's name change. The Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) covers most apartment buildings in the City of Los Angeles. If you own one, the RSO controls...