Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes!

We have big news out of Sacramento that you need to hear: AB 246 the bill proposing a one-year rent freeze across Los Angeles County, has stalled in the Assembly.

This is a major win for rental housing providers across California. But don’t put your phone down just yet, this bill isn’t dead, and we need to keep the pressure on to ensure it never comes to a vote.

What’s AB 246 All About?

AB 246, introduced by Assemblymember Isaac G. Bryan (D–Los Angeles), would ban rent increases for a full year across all of L.A. County, freezing rent levels at what they were on January 7, 2025.

It’s being pushed by Housing Is a Human Right, the political arm of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the same group behind Propositions 10, 21, and 33, all of which failed at the ballot box.

But now, they’re shifting tactics: instead of letting voters decide, they want lawmakers to bypass local decision-making and impose a blanket freeze statewide.

Why This Bill Is So Dangerous

Let’s break down why AB 246 is such a threat, not just to L.A. landlords, but to housing providers across the state:

• It sets a dangerous precedent. A statewide rent freeze following an emergency any emergency, could become the new norm.
• Local officials already said no. Both the Los Angeles City Council and the L.A. County Board of Supervisors declined to impose a freeze. This bill overrides those decisions.
• It’s redundant. California already has anti–price gouging laws under Penal Code §396, rent increases are capped at 10% during emergencies.
• We’ve been through this before. Many of you endured nearly five years of frozen rents during COVID, while operating costs skyrocketed. Another mandated freeze could push small landlords over the edge.
• Penalties are steep. The bill empowers prosecutors to fine landlords up to $10,000 per violation, even for minor infractions.

Why Every California Landlord Should Be Concerned

Although AB 246 is limited to Los Angeles County for now, the implications are statewide:

• A blueprint for expansion: If passed, this bill could serve as a model for future legislation targeting other counties or regions especially after fires, storms, or any declared emergency.
• Creates a legal precedent: If Sacramento can override local decision-making in L.A., what’s to stop them from doing the same in San Diego, San Jose, or Fresno next?
• Encourages copycat policies: Activist groups will be emboldened to push similar rent freezes in other jurisdictions, citing AB 246 as a legislative “success.”
• Your market may be next: Even if your community currently rejects strict rent caps, a state-imposed freeze could bypass local control and impose sweeping restrictions on your business overnight.

Make no mistake if this bill passes in L.A., it won’t stop there. Every landlord in California could be subject to these kinds of restrictions in the future.

The Bottom Line

AB 246 isn’t just a policy debate it’s a threat to your ability to operate responsibly and sustainably as a housing provider. Freezing rents in one of the country’s most expensive markets while ignoring the real costs of maintenance, taxes, and insurance is simply not viable.

Let’s keep showing lawmakers that housing providers are part of the solution, not the problem. Your continued engagement could be the difference between a catastrophic rent freeze and a fair, balanced housing policy.

🎥 5 New California Laws That Could Kill Rentals in 2025

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Steve Welty CEO @ Good Life Property Management DRE #01744610 ​​​​

5252 Balboa Ave #704, San Diego, California 92117
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