Dear CAR Member,
The past month has been extremely busy on the legislative front. C.A.R. members responded to several Red Alerts to express their opposition to harmful legislation, including two bills that together would have imposed unacceptable regulations on rental property owners. Thanks to your calls, C.A.R. was able to negotiate amendments on AB 1481 and AB 1482, to preserve the rights of rental property owners while allowing for the protection of at-risk tenants. C.A.R. is pleased that, through working with the bill authors and legislators, the bills will be amended to address our concerns. See details on the amended bill.
Additionally, here’s an update on two C.A.R. co-sponsored bills:
SB 50, which boosts housing and apartment development in and around major transit hubs and employers, and provides developers with a “density bonus,” has been delayed until 2020. As co-sponsors of SB 50, C.A.R. is disappointed in the decision made by the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee to postpone action on the bill until 2020. Every day we delay addressing the root cause of the housing crisis – the housing inventory shortage – the more we put having a place to call home out of reach for millions of Californians. We remain committed to this bill and we look forward to working with the governor and lawmakers in the meantime on advancing other innovative proposals addressing the housing crisis.
AB 5, which seeks to clarify the application of the California Supreme Court decision in the Dynamex case, which applies a three-part test to determine whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employee. AB 5 recognized from its inception that certain occupations should be excluded from the Dynamex test including licensed real estate brokerage activity. However, the original language relating to real estate licensees did not fully capture the law governing the relationships between real estate licensees. Recent amendments to the bill explicitly grant real estate licensees an exemption from the Dynamex test and recognize the particular legal and regulatory framework under which licensed real estate brokerage activity takes place. With those amendments, C.A.R. now supports AB 5, which passed off of the Assembly Floor late May.
June not only marks the start of summer, it’s also National Homeownership Month. While it was only first declared in 2002, REALTORS® have been advocating for nearly a century for a special time set aside to reflect on and advocate for homeownership. What started out as locally held Real Estate Weeks in the ‘20s became NAR-sponsored REALTOR® Week in the ’50s, became Private Property Week in the ’70s and American Home Week in the ’80s. Though the name and scope have changed, the message has not: The lasting, life-changing value of homeownership is a pivotal part of the American dream.
Today, with affordability a big concern, many Californians are weighing whether it’s “worth it” to pursue homeownership. As REALTORS®, it’s our job to tell them it’s not just about the monetary value, but it’s also how a home has the power to change their lives. One of the best ways to start that conversation is to share how our lives have been changed by homeownership. You can read more REALTOR® stories in the current California Real Estate.
The wait is almost over – REimagine! registration begins next Wednesday, June 19! Network, learn, and participate at the newly reimagined EXPO, Sept. 24-26 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Transform your business with motivational REal Talks, walk away with powerful takeaways from deep-dive sessions, build business relationships with real estate pros from across the state, and immerse yourself in new experiences inside and outside the conference doors. The conference kicks off on Tuesday, Sept. 24, with a paid day of Masterclasses, focused on targeted content and exclusive networking opportunities. The next two days, Sept. 25-Sept. 26, will be packed with 30+ sessions from expert speakers, hundreds of vendors with new products in the exhibit hall and can’t-miss experiences around every corner — all for free. I can’t wait to see you in Los Angeles this fall. Be sure to register starting next Wednesday!
Have a great weekend.
Sincerely,
Jared Martin
C.A.R. President