BPOA News & Commentary

This section houses newsletters and select articles—including President’s Messages and guest-written editorials—from BPOA’s archive dating back to 2008. Explore past issues to see how Berkeley’s rental housing landscape has evolved.

Free Resources Policy & Regulatory

BPOA Newsletter: March 2026 Issue
BPOA Newsletter: March 2026 Issue

In this month's issue: The Aging of Berkeley's Rental Housing; HUD Demands Tenants Verify Citizenship; Rent Board Archive: 2018 Op-Ed; CalRHA Public Policy Update March 2026; S.F. Apartment Rents Surge, L.A. Slumps; ChatGPT on Tenant Displacement Rules; Santa Barbara Rent Freeze; and more... Continue Reading

Postedby BPOA Master
Date posted03/1/2026


February 2026 Issue
February 2026 Issue

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

Postedby BPOA Master
Date posted02/1/2026


Reader’s Guide to BPOA's Online Newsletters
Reader’s Guide to BPOA's Online Newsletters

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

Postedby Tiffany Van Buren
Date posted02/1/2026


January 2026 Issue
January 2026 Issue

Inside this issue: Berkeley Joins National Trend; Rents are Rising in SF – and Spreading; Is the 30% Rule Still Relevant?; Lawsuit Challenges New York's Rent Control Law; Los Angeles Limits Rent Hikes in Historic Vote; Landlording with Mark; Event Calendar; and more... Continue Reading

Postedby BPOA Master
Date posted01/1/2026


December 2025 Issue
December 2025 Issue

Inside this issue: A Critical Case for Property Rights; California's 2026 Rental Reboot; L.A. Moves to Strengthen Rent Protections; Nov/Dec Political & Public Policy Update; Why Democrats Keep Flailing; Landlording with Mark; The Nuts & Bolts; and more... Continue Reading

Postedby BPOA Master
Date posted12/1/2025


2025 Newsletter Archive
2025 Newsletter Archive

All twelve issues in one place Continue Reading

Postedby BPOA Master
Date posted12/1/2025


Understanding San Francisco's Empty Homes Tax Appeal: How BPOA Members are Making Their Voices Heard
Understanding San Francisco's Empty Homes Tax Appeal: How BPOA Members are Making Their Voices Heard

San Francisco’s Empty Homes Tax is now before the Court of Appeal — and the ruling could reshape how Berkeley enforces its own vacant unit tax. Learn why BPOA filed an amicus brief and what’s at stake for property owners. Continue Reading

Postedby BPOA Master
Date posted11/17/2025


BPOA Amicus Brief: San Francisco Empty Homes Tax Appeal (2025)
BPOA Amicus Brief: San Francisco Empty Homes Tax Appeal (2025)

A complete copy of BPOA’s 2025 amicus curiae brief filed in the Court of Appeal in the San Francisco Empty Homes Tax case. Provided here in full for member reference. Continue Reading

Postedby BPOA Master
Date posted11/17/2025


November 2025 Issue
November 2025 Issue

Inside this issue: LA Takes Up Rent Control Reforms; What Is the Consumer Price Index?; 20-Story Tower Approved on Durant Ave; Everybody Gets a Fridge; October 2025 CalRHA Advocacy Update; Landlording with Mark; The Nuts & Bolts; Coalition Corner; and more... Continue Reading

Postedby BPOA Master
Date posted11/1/2025


Tenant Data Exposed in Berkeley Rent Registry Leak
Tenant Data Exposed in Berkeley Rent Registry Leak

A flaw in Berkeley’s Rent Registry exposed tenant names, contacts, and Section 8 status for months. The issue is now fixed, but tenants may still question why their data is being collected. Housing providers should be ready to explain the legal requirement. Continue Reading

Postedby BPOA Master
Date posted10/2/2025


October 2025 Issue
October 2025 Issue

In this month's issue: The President's Message; The Vacancy Plague That Wasn't; Landlord Suit Tossed by Federal Judge; SF Rentals Leasing at Twice the Pace of 2024; Coalition Corner; CalRHA Public Policy Update; Nuts & Bolts; Landlording with Mark; Coming Events, and more. Continue Reading

Postedby BPOA Master
Date posted10/1/2025


Take Action: Demand An Audit of the Rent Board
Take Action: Demand An Audit of the Rent Board

The Rent Board has never undergone an audit in its 45-year history. Fees are rising, services are declining, and accountability is overdue. Join us in urging the City Auditor to follow through—send your message today. Continue Reading

Postedby Dan Lieberman
Date posted09/1/2025