Emergency Declarations Extended to Protect Against Price Gouging

The heatwave and fires across California prompted Governor Gavin Newsom to extend a 10-percent cap on goods and services, including rental prices, for several more weeks. Southern California Rental Housing Association (SCRHA) is alerting its members, and the San Diego, Imperial, and Riverside County communities it serves, about the anti-price gouging rules.

“The statewide declaration was put in place on August 31, due to the heatwave, was set to expire on September 7 and is now extended until September 30,” explained Alan Pentico, SCRHA Executive Director.

The declaration specific to Riverside County went into effect on September 8 and is set to expire on October 8.

The portion of Penal Code 396 applicable during the emergency states:

It is unlawful for any person, business, or other entity, to increase the rental price advertised, offered, or charged for housing, to an existing or prospective tenant, by more than 10 percent. This includes properties exempt from statewide rent control.

More information is available on Governor Newsom’s website for the Office of Emergency Services.

About Southern California Rental Housing Association

The Southern California Rental Housing Association (SCRHA) is the region’s leading trade association serving the rental housing industry. For more than 100 years, the SCRHA has been one of the nation’s leading apartment associations and has provided rental property owners and companies who own or manage rental property with education and training, networking opportunities, and critical legislative advocacy.