California Apartment Association Begins Process of Protecting Renters
From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
October 26, 2010
Sacramento, CA – The California Apartment Association (CAA), representing more than 50,000 owners and operators of multi-family housing in California, has begun educating its members of the new California law requiring that Carbon Monoxide (CO2) detectors be installed in rental properties.
Signed recently by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the new statue requires the owner of a housing unit to install a device in each existing dwelling unit that has a fossil fuel burning heater or appliance, fireplace, an attached garage.
In California, CO2 poisoning causes between 30 and 40 deaths each year, leads to about 700 emergency room visits, and causes thousands of illnesses and injuries.
Even though the requirement for installation for existing single family homes is not until July 1, 2011 and for all other existing dwelling units (apartments) not until January 1, 2013, CAA believes it is not too early to begin the education process for rental property owners.
Within two weeks of the new law being signed, CAA has conducted two live webinars with more than 400 of its members providing details of the new requirement.
"California landlords' first duty is provide clean and safe housing for the estimated eleven million renters in this state," said Ben Lamson, CAA's board president. "This association's job is to continually educate those property owner members on this new law and the numerous other compliance requirements that are continually handed down by State lawmakers and regulators."
The new CO2 detectors, just as with the current requirement for smoke detectors in apartment units, must be operable when a renter takes possession of an apartment unit. However, the tenant is responsible for notifying the owner if the monitors become inoperable.
The California Apartment Association (CAA) is the nation's largest statewide trade association for people who own or manage rental property in California. Since 1941, CAA has been dedicated to protecting its members' investments through political and legal advocacy, assisting them to comply with new laws and regulations, and effectively communicating information on emerging industry trends, risk management and best business practices. With more than 50,000 owner/operator members who provide approximately two million rental units to California families, CAA is widely regarded as the most authoritative voice of the California rental housing industry.
Contact: Eric Wiegers
916-449-6441 or ewiegers@caanet.org