Some California property owners cannot obtain or keep traditional property insurance because of wildfire risk. The California FAIR Plan offers a basic option when the traditional market does not. Its protection differs from a full homeowners or commercial property policy. The FAIR Plan’s standard residential policy covers named perils, mainly fire. It does not include… Read more »
California investors can hold real estate through more than one ownership structure, and an LLC is not the only option. A partnership, individual ownership, or another entity can all serve different purposes. Each structure affects who owns the property, who controls decisions, how investors share responsibilities, and how disagreements are resolved. Choosing between an LLC… Read more »
California’s anti-price-gouging law can limit how much landlords charge for rental housing after certain emergency declarations. The rules can apply to existing rentals, vacant units, and other rental situations covered by California Penal Code section 396. The law generally limits covered rent increases to 10 percent, but the calculation depends on the property’s rental history… Read more »
A neighbor claims your fence sits on their land. A sibling challenges your ownership of inherited property. A deceased former owner’s name still appears in the title records. An old deed conflicts with how the property has been used for decades. Each situation can create uncertainty about who holds what legal interest in real property…. Read more »
An easement gives someone a limited right to use another person’s property. When the government holds that right, the property owner still owns the underlying land. What the government can do on that land is defined by the easement’s terms and applicable law, not by what the government eventually decides it wants to do. The… Read more »
A government easement on private land does not transfer ownership. The property owner retains the underlying fee title. The government acquires only a limited right to use the land for a defined purpose. That distinction has real consequences. A property owner whose land is burdened by a government easement still owns the land. They may… Read more »
Two of the most common remedies in California property disputes are quiet title actions and partition actions. Both involve ownership. Both may end up in court. But they address entirely different problems and follow different legal frameworks. A quiet title action resolves a disputed claim to ownership. A partition action divides property among co-owners who… Read more »
California’s Density Bonus Law allows qualifying residential projects to exceed local zoning limits on density, height, and parking. It is one of the most significant development tools available under state law. Developers who meet the statutory requirements can use these benefits to increase a project’s development potential. The law limits local zoning restrictions in specific… Read more »
Property line disputes rank among the most common sources of conflict between neighboring landowners in California. A fence placed six inches onto the neighbor’s lot. A retaining wall that crosses the survey line. A driveway that has occupied another parcel’s corner for twenty years. Each situation raises questions about where the legal boundary runs, who… Read more »
Property owners rebuilding after a fire in Malibu or the Pacific Palisades face a coastal permitting system unlike anywhere else in California. The California Coastal Act generally requires a coastal development permit before any construction in the coastal zone. However, a specific exemption allows many fire victims to rebuild without that permit, provided the replacement… Read more »
