Latest news with #AssemblyBill628
Los Angeles Times
06-04-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
California landlords may have to provide refrigerators, stoves to renters under proposed bill
Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It's Sunday. I'm your host, Andrew J. Campa. Here's what you need to know: Southern California renters often have a few basic items to secure before moving into a unit. They generally need to provide first and last month's rent along with a security deposit. Two of the less-talked about items, however, are refrigerators and stoves, which are not considered necessities by the state. Many landlords do not offer the appliances to incoming renters, passing on the direct cost to their tenants. That arrangement may be changing in California, due to legislation being proposed in Sacramento. My colleague Karen Garcia broke down the proposed bill and what its passage would mean. Why don't landlords currently provide refrigerators? Simply put, there is no requirement. California law requires any building with a dwelling unit to maintain 'certain characteristics in order to be tenantable.' That means landlords are on the hook for adequate heating and hot water systems. Legally, fridges and stoves are classified as amenities and considered nonessential. That language has made California an outlier. A 2022 Times analysis shows that the number of residents who entered into new leases without fridges and stoves is much higher in California than in any other state. What does the added cost mean? The average monthly rent in the city of Los Angeles is $2,347, higher than the national average of $1,995, according to Zillow. First and last month's rent plus a security deposit can force a new renter to have ready several thousands of dollars just to move in. And much more in wealthier parts of the county, where average rents hover near $4,000 — places like Ladera Heights and Larchmont Village. If they don't come with a fridge, plan to fork out another $600 to $2,300 for a new one, product analysts say, or plunge into the underground fridge market for a used one. Assembly Bill 628 would put landlords in charge of buying and repairing the appliances Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Hawthorne), whose 61st District covers communities from Inglewood to Marina del Rey, introduced AB 628 to make refrigerators and stoves required appliances, not amenities. If passed, landlords would have to provide them starting Jan. 1, 2026. 'We know that people are really struggling out there with the high cost of food, gas, household goods, and on top of that, lots of people spend more than half their income on rent,' she said. Ultimately, McKinnor wants renters to have one less payment to think about when entering a new lease. She said the landlord will be in charge of fixing or replacing a refrigerator and stove, as are now with heaters. Would the new requirement hike up rental prices? In Los Angeles apartments subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, landlords can only increase the rent once every 12 months by a limited percentage. There are exceptions to the RSO, though, which include single-family homes, affordable housing, luxury housing units exempted by the Los Angeles Housing Department, rentals built after Oct. 1, 1978, and units in commercial buildings that converted to housing after Oct. 1, 1978. What's its future? The bill is currently being read and amended. It will need to pass both the Assembly and Senate before potentially being signed by the governor in the fall. For more on the bill, read the full story here. Los Angeles fires and recovery Trump administration policies and reactions Crimes, court and policing Entertainment news More big stories Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe here. Column One is The Times' home for narrative and long-form journalism. Here's a great piece from this past week: There were no vacancies beneath the old neon Farm House Motel sign last Saturday — no guest rooms at all, in fact. But the 1950s Riverside property, now known as the Farm House Collective, was busier than it has been for decades. By 10 a.m., when a ribbon-cutting marked the Farm House's rebirth as a mini-mall, food hall and music venue, the parking lot was full. More great reads How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@ Going out Staying in Get wrapped up in tantalizing stories about dating, relationships and marriage. She lost her home in the devastating fire that struck Pacific Palisades. She, her daughter and her husband bounced around from hotels to Airbnbs and air mattress. Finally, they found a short-term lease after five weeks, but the damage had been done. Her husband said he needed a break from the chaos, from the drama and from his wife, which sent her into a downward spiral. Would she recover and save her marriage, or will the blaze claim one more casualty? Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team Andrew J. Campa, reporterJoe Mozingo, deputy editor Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tired of apartments with no fridges? California bill would require landlords to supply them
Tired of scouring Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for a decently used refrigerator because your new apartment didn't come with one? This headache could become a thing of the past with a new bill in the California Legislature that, if approved, would require landlords to provide refrigerators and stoves in their rentals. The simple answer is landlords don't have to provide a refrigerator. Existing California law requires any building with a dwelling unit to maintain "certain characteristics in order to be tenantable," which includes maintenance of adequate heating and hot water systems. Even though cooking and storing food might seem like a necessity in order to live in any kind of housing situation, legally the appliances are categorized as amenities. The number of Californians who have entered new leases without such luxuries is far greater than any other state, according to a Times analysis in 2022. Read more: Why do so many L.A. apartments come without fridges? Inside the chilling mystery Research showed that Los Angeles and Orange counties "offered the fewest number of apartments with refrigerators among nearly two dozen large metropolitan areas nationwide." It's the added cost of purchasing the appliance. The average monthly rent in the city of Los Angeles is $2,347, higher than the national average of $1,995, according to Zillow. But the highest average rent in the surrounding area is $4,500, in Ladera Heights. When entering a lease, you're providing the landlord with the first month's rent and a security deposit. If a refrigerator isn't provided, you're looking at spending on either a new appliance or searching online for a used one. Product analysts say the average price of a new refrigerator is between $600 and $2,300, the basic one is between $200 and $600 and the high-end one is between $2,300 and $5,000. If you're in the market for a used refrigerator, the cheapest listing The Times found on Facebook Marketplace is $25 for a two-door Whirlpool. The seller described it as not "looking so good on the outside but perfect for a garage or even outside." When Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Hawthorne), whose 61st District covers communities from Inglewood to Marina del Rey, introduced Assembly Bill 628, she realized refrigerators and stoves were legally labeled as amenities. She decided to make it a necessity with the new bill. The bill, if passed, would add a stove and refrigerator in good working condition and capable of safely generating heat for cooking and storing food, respectively, as a requirement of landlords starting Jan. 1, 2026. Read more: The Times podcast: Why L.A. has fridge-less apartments McKinnor said she has regular town halls with her communities and the main topics of concern she's heard from constituents are affording rent, rising grocery prices and everyday bills. "We know that people are really struggling out there with the high cost of food, gas, household goods, and on top of that, lots of people spend more than half their income on rent," she said. She wants renters to have one less payment to think about when entering a new lease. If the bill is approved, a landlord "cannot have you in a rental without a refrigerator just like they can't have you in there without hot running water or a heater" starting next year, McKinnor said. There are some rentals that come with the appliance, but McKinnor wants everyone to have the much-needed item. Similar to a heater in need of repair or replacement, McKinnor said the landlord will be in charge of fixing or replacing a refrigerator. Read more: L.A. housing authority turning luxury Woodland Hills apartments into affordable housing In the city of L.A., landlords can increase the rent once every 12 months by the allowable rent increase percentage required by the Rent Stabilization Ordinance. Rentals that are not subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance include: Single family homes Affordable housing or luxury housing units exempted by the Los Angeles Housing Department A rental built after Oct. 1, 1978 A converted commercial building that converted to rental units after Oct. 1, 1978 Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
04-04-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Tired of apartments with no fridges? California bill would require landlords to supply them
Tired of scouring Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for a decently used refrigerator because your new apartment didn't come with one? This headache could become a thing of the past with a new bill in the California Legislature that, if approved, would require landlords to provide refrigerators and stoves in their rentals. The simple answer is landlords don't have to provide a refrigerator. Existing California law requires any building with a dwelling unit to maintain 'certain characteristics in order to be tenantable,' which includes maintenance of adequate heating and hot water systems. Even though cooking and storing food might seem like a necessity in order to live in any kind of housing situation, legally the appliances are categorized as amenities. The number of Californians who have entered new leases without such luxuries is far greater than any other state, according to a Times analysis in 2022. Research showed that Los Angeles and Orange counties 'offered the fewest number of apartments with refrigerators among nearly two dozen large metropolitan areas nationwide.' It's the added cost of purchasing the appliance. The average monthly rent in the city of Los Angeles is $2,347, higher than the national average of $1,995, according to Zillow. But the highest average rent in the surrounding area is $4,500, in Ladera Heights. When entering a lease, you're providing the landlord with the first month's rent and a security deposit. If a refrigerator isn't provided, you're looking at spending on either a new appliance or searching online for a used one. Product analysts say the average price of a new refrigerator is between $600 and $2,300, the basic is between $200 and $600 and the high-end is between $2,300 and $5,000. If you're on the market for a used refrigerator, the cheapest listing The Times found on Facebook Marketplace is $25 for a two-door Whirlpool. The seller described it as not 'looking so good on the outside but perfect for a garage or even outside.' When Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Hawthorne), whose 61st District covers communities from Inglewood to Marina del Rey, introduced Assembly Bill 628, she realized refrigerators and stoves were legally labeled as amenities. She decided to make it a necessity with the new bill. The bill, if passed, would add a stove and refrigerator in good working condition and capable of safely generating heat for cooking and storing food, respectively, as a requirement of landlords starting Jan. 1, 2026. McKinnor said she has regular town halls with her communities and the main topics of concern she's heard from constituents are affording rent, rising grocery prices and everyday bills. 'We know that people are really struggling out there with the high cost of food, gas, household goods, and on top of that, lots of people spend more than half their income on rent,' she said. She wants renters to have one less payment to think about when entering a new lease. If the bill is approved, a landlord 'cannot have you in a rental without a refrigerator just like they can't have you in there without hot running water or a heater' starting next year, McKinnor said. There are some rentals that come with the appliance, but McKinnor wants everyone to have the much-needed item. Similar to a heater in need of repair or replacement, McKinnor said the landlord will be in charge of fixing or replacing a refrigerator. In the city of L.A., landlords can increase the rent once every 12 months by the allowable rent increase percentage required by the Rent Stabilization Ordinance. Rentals that are not subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance include:
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Landlords may soon be required to provide stoves, fridges under proposed California bill
A recently introduced California bill aims to require landlords to provide stoves and fridges in rental housing. State law doesn't require units to include a refrigerator, a standard in other parts of the country. A 2022 Los Angeles Times story found that L.A. and Orange Counties have the fewest refrigerator units among large urban areas nationwide. Assembly Bill 628 was introduced by State Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood); if passed, it would require California landlords to provide stoves and refrigerators for all apartment leases after Jan. 1, 2026. Los Angeles County sales tax hike takes effect: What you need to know The bill initially called for landlords to provide stoves and fridges purchased within the last 10 years, but after pushback from the California Apartment Association, that was removed, according to LAist. Now, the bill specifies that stoves and fridges must be in good working order and 'capable of safely generating heat for cooking purposes and capable of safely storing food, respectively.' However, the bill will include some exemptions. Permanent supportive housing, single-room occupancy, a unit in a residential hotel, and a dwelling unit within a housing facility that offers shared or communal kitchen spaces to its residents, like an assisted living facility, would be exempt from the bill. The bill is currently undergoing a first committee review. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
