Our Programs

Strengthening Independent Landlords to Preserve Affordable Housing

California’s affordable housing crisis is, in large part, a landlord retention crisis. Independent landlords — those who own between one and ten rental units — own the majority of the state’s naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH). When these landlords exit the market, their properties are frequently acquired by institutional investors who raise rents, renovate to higher price points, and eliminate the affordability that made those units accessible to working families.

LeaseBase Housing Foundation operates three integrated programs designed to address the underlying causes of small landlord exit: lack of access to professional-grade tools, compliance overload, and systemic disadvantages relative to large operators.

Program 1: Technology Access

Free and subsidized access to professional property management technology for independent landlords managing 10 units or fewer. Learn more about Technology Access →

Program 2: Education and Capacity Building

Workshops, webinars, and compliance training that help independent landlords navigate California’s complex regulatory environment. Learn more about Education and Capacity Building →

Program 3: Research and Advocacy

Original research on landlord retention, displacement, and housing preservation policy, translated into actionable advocacy at the local and state level. Learn more about Research and Advocacy →

Why These Three Programs

The decision to exit the rental market is rarely made in a single moment. It accumulates. A landlord who receives a fair housing complaint without understanding their rights, who faces a habitability order without knowing how to respond, who can’t afford professional property management software, who hasn’t filed required disclosures — that landlord is at risk of sale. Our programs address each vulnerability point.

Research from the Urban Institute and the National Low Income Housing Coalition consistently finds that small landlords are more likely to provide below-market rents, more likely to accept housing vouchers, and more likely to maintain long-term tenant relationships than large corporate operators. Preserving small landlord participation in the rental market is one of the most cost-effective affordable housing strategies available to local governments.

To learn about eligibility or to apply for program services, contact us.