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Across the board, since 2020 Livable staff have continued to be a productive team while spending valued time with family and even taking time to give back while dealing with lockdowns and restrictions.  

In 2020 the push and pull between lockdowns and eased restrictions impacted housing and housing providers. The rental housing industry was hit hard by the economic downturn brought on by shelter-in-place laws. 

During the Corona Virus pandemic, there have been several lockdowns resulting in weeks of remaining sheltered in place. From construction to real estate and property management, many of the vendors that property owners rely on have been put at a standstill time and time again. In turn, renters have been anxious to make a move when there is a window of opportunity offered.  Are your units ready to be shown?

At the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020 Livable along with several utility-based companies did our part to make sure that residents were able to afford their utilities. In April 2020 Livable announced that we were suspending all late fees until July 1, 2020. Throughout the pandemic, we have remained committed to promoting conservation through billing and education, and with no minimums.

At Livable we create custom utility management and cost recovery solutions for commercial and residential properties, and it seems our expertise is needed now more than ever! It used the be that the “American Dream” was synonymous with homeownership, however, Millennials don’t seem to be putting the same emphasis on buying property as previous generations, thus renting has become more the norm.

 As we get ready to say goodbye to 2019, it’s only natural to look ahead. In addition to what is sure to be a heated national political season in 2020, there are several statewide measures in California to keep an eye on, including a possible overhaul of Prop. 13 and another proposition that would allow municipalities to extend rent control to most units that are at least 15 years old. 

 After ignoring the will of the voters, who just last year decided against loosening statewide restrictions on rent control, California state legislators recently passed a new law that will cap annual rent increases at 5 percent plus inflation.

Based in San Francisco the Livable team is no stranger to the dangers of hot weather, including the increased chance of wildfires - it takes a spark to create miles and miles of devastation. Fires strike throughout California each year, especially in the fall months, and can cause catastrophic property loss like in the Woolsey fire in Los Angeles or even worse cost lives like the Camp fire in Northern California in 2018.