Golden Duplex: Understanding the 1979 Record

One of the first questions BPOA asks when evaluating a property's potential Golden Duplex status is:

Does the property have a qualifying 1979 record?

If you're new to Berkeley rental housing, you may wonder what that means.

What Is the 1979 Record?

The 1979 record is the historical Alameda County property tax assessment record used to determine whether one of the property's original qualifying units was owner-occupied on December 31, 1979.

For most qualifying properties, the record reflects a Homeowner's Exemption, indicating that an owner of record occupied the property as their principal residence on that date.

This historical record establishes whether the property satisfied one of the key requirements for Berkeley's Golden Duplex exemption.

Why December 31, 1979?

Berkeley's Rent Stabilization Ordinance uses December 31, 1979, as the benchmark date for determining whether a property qualified for the Golden Duplex exemption.

The 1979 record establishes the property's historical qualification. Whether the exemption is currently active depends on whether the current owner satisfies the owner-occupancy requirements.

The person who occupied the property on December 31, 1979, need not be the current owner. Ownership may change many times over the decades without affecting the property's historical qualification.

What Does the 1979 Record Look Like?

Most qualifying properties will show a Homeowner's Exemption on the 1979 Alameda County assessment roll. This is commonly abbreviated as "H EX."

The Homeowner's Exemption indicates that an owner of record occupied the property as their principal residence on December 31, 1979.

BPOA Member Benefit

BPOA maintains a library of scanned 1979 records and will furnish an electronic copy to any member who owns a Golden Duplex property.

If you're unsure whether your property qualifies, we're happy to review our records and explain what your 1979 record means.

Best Practice

Keep a copy of your property's 1979 record with your permanent property records. Together with documentation demonstrating current owner occupancy, it provides the historical foundation for your property's Golden Duplex exemption.

If you don't already have a copy, simply contact BPOA. We'll gladly provide a scanned copy to any member who owns a Golden Duplex property.