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The Housing Rights Center presented a detailed workshop in the South Pasadena Library Community Room on Tuesday evening to inform local citizens of Federal and State housing laws.
The Housing Rights Center is the nation’s largest non-profit civil rights organization dedicated to securing and promoting fair housing.
Representing the Housing Rights Center were Chancela Al-Mansour, Executive Director and Areli Rios, Outreach Coordinator. Ms. Rios delivered a 1-hour presentation which covered fair housing regulations at both the Federal and State levels, and specific responsibilities and rights of both landlords and tenants.
Ms. Rios also presented an overview of the most frequently asked questions regarding landlord-tenant rights and responsibilities. Here are the top 2 most frequently asked questions according to Ms. Rios:
- How many days does a tenant have to wait to get their security deposit back?
California Civil Code Section 1950.5 requires that within 3 weeks (21 days) after a tenant has vacated the unit, the owner must either: 1) return the security deposit to the tenant, 2) furnish a copy of an itemized statement indicating the amount of any part of the secutiry deposit used (for example – for unpaid rent or repairs), or 3) a combination of #1 and #2. - How much advance notice does a landlord need to give a tenant to move out of their rental unit?
According to California Civil Code 1946.1, landlords are required to provide a 60-day advance notice to a resident if the tenant has resided in the unit for more than one year. If the tenant has resided in the unit less than 1 year, the landlord is only required to give a 30-day advance notice.
The end of the workshop was left for an active question and answer session which included local residents in attendance asking about topics including: poor property maintenance, misrepresentation of the purpose of landlord visits, infestations, amounts of rent increases, and problems with asbestos removal.
The Housing Rights Center provides free fair housing services and information to residents throughout Los Angeles County and can be reached by phone at: (800) 477-5977. Further information can be viewed on their website at: www.housingrightscenter.org.
