Good News! Balcony Inspection Bill Signed by Governor

Governor Signs SCRHA-Supported Legislation

SCRHA is pleased to report that over the weekend, Governor Newsom signed AB 2579 (Quirk-Silva), which extends the deadline for property owners to have their balconies and other exterior elevated elements inspected. SB 721 was signed into law in 2018 and became effective January 1, 2019. It established a requirement to perform regular inspections of exterior elevated elements of certain multi-unit residential buildings, with an initial inspection deadline of January 1, 2025.   

According to the author, "When California issued a state-of-emergency for COVID-19 in March of 2020, unforeseen challenges emerged, including barriers to accessing dwelling units for necessary balcony inspections under SB 721. Because of these unavoidable delays, allowing additional time for balcony inspections is not just a necessity, but is crucial for the safety of residents with balconies."

The law extends the deadline for initial inspection until January 1, 2026. The bill would also provide that no new inspection is required until January 1, 2026, if the property was inspected within 3 years prior to January 1, 2019.

SCRHA and a coalition of other rental housing organizations supported this common-sense legislation. The Governor signed a package of housing bills earlier this month, including some that directly impact rental housing operations. Click here if you missed the Legislative Update.