Inside this issue: Owner Move-In, Ellis Act, or Tenant Buyout?; Empty Empires; Berkeley Apartment Complex is Foreclosed; Berkeley's Tallest-Ever Dorm; Muni Parcel Tax Cost-Sharing; Landlording with Mark, the Nuts & Bolts, and more... Continue Reading
Content Library
News, insights, and education for Berkeley housing providers
The Content Library is your go-to feed for everything BPOA publishes—from blog articles and webinar playbacks to announcements and member newsletters. If we’ve written, posted, or recorded it, you’ll find it here—organized by date, not topic.
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Learn how to use the Visual Paradigm viewer for BPOA’s online newsletter (and affiliate newsletters): start in full screen, navigate pages, zoom up to 500%, switch layouts, read in text mode, download or print as a PDF, and use search, annotations, and audio features. Continue Reading
RHSP compliance requires more than an inspection: owners must complete the SCC each year, keep it on file, provide tenant copies, and pay the annual City fee. This guide explains what Berkeley housing providers must do by July 1. Continue Reading
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are required by California law in rental housing. This guide explains installation requirements, clarifies owner and resident responsibilities, and outlines why alarms must remain installed, operable, and free from tampering at all times. Continue Reading
Berkeley’s Business License does not apply to all landlords. For residential rentals, it is generally triggered only if you own 3+ units on one parcel or 5+ rental units citywide. This guide explains how those thresholds work in practice. Continue Reading
Plumbing systems can clog from normal buildup, aging infrastructure, or improper disposal of materials. This guide explains common causes of drain problems, clarifies the owner's and residents' responsibilities, and outlines safe practices to help prevent costly plumbing repairs. Continue Reading
Today, USPS no longer reliably stamps mail when you hand it over or drop it in a mailbox. Most mail is now postmarked later, when it is processed by an automated regional sorting facility. That can be days after you mailed it. Continue Reading
Clear, professional communication supports stable tenancies. This guide outlines communication standards, documentation practices, and boundaries that help prevent misunderstandings and reduce conflict throughout the tenancy. Continue Reading
When BPOA members miss important emails, it's because Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, and Apple Mail automatically sort them into Promotions, Updates, or Spam. This article shows how to make sure BPOA’s alerts and notices reach your inbox. Continue Reading
New 2026 habitability rules require landlords to provide stoves and refrigerators. The requirements apply automatically to new tenancies and are triggered for existing tenancies when rent, terms, or lease status change. Continue Reading
Maintenance is part of normal occupancy. This guide outlines how repair concerns are communicated, evaluated, and addressed, and clarifies the shared responsibilities that help prevent minor issues from becoming larger problems. Continue Reading
Inside this issue: New ADU Guidance from Housing and Community Development (HCD); Governor's State of the State Address; PPIC Survey on Housing; CalRHA Opposes AB 1157; and more... Continue Reading