State rent cap offers little help to San Diego County tenants facing illegal rent increases

Kendra Sherman said she didn’t know exactly what to expect when her El Cajon home sold last year.

The 53-year-old single mother has lived in the same two-bedroom apartment for 10 years. And as a full-time medical assistant, she’s gotten used to regular, predictable rent increases over the past few years. But that changed when it came time to renew her lease this summer.

Effective August 1, her monthly payment will increase by more than $300, the new owner said – an increase of more than 14 percent. That’s almost twice what state law allows.

Sherman is not alone. Other tenants living in apartments owned by the same owner said they also experienced increases in the past year that exceeded the statutory limit. One tenant who inewsource They have agreed to remain silent for fear of retaliation and said their rent went up by $350 a month earlier this year – a 16 percent increase.

The law exempts some properties from the rent cap, but these exceptions do not appear to apply here, according to a review by inewsource and two housing lawyers.

When contacted by phone, the owner, Eddy Wibowo, seemed unaware that state law limits rent increases for most properties and did not comment further.

This is not an isolated case. It is just one example of a problem that lawyers and advocates say is widespread in jurisdictions with little local tenant protection.

inewsource Over the past 18 months, reports have shown that renters of all income levels are facing rent increases that exceed the state’s cap. And in San Diego County, renters who feel they’re being treated unfairly can only hire a lawyer. For renters like Sherman, the rent increase means they can’t even save enough to move to a less expensive apartment.

Read the full article at inewsource.org.

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