Commercial Leasing in Crisis

As business owners and landlords consider next steps during this crisis, one of the first actions they take should be reviewing key aspects of their commercial leases. Within some commercial leases are provisions which create exceptions to performance under the lease, including the demand for continuous operation or rental payments under force majeure or government
Read more
No Comments

COVID-19 Resources for Businesses

As small business operators ourselves, we understand first hand the trials and tribulations that you may currently be experiencing. You likely have many questions regarding how your business can operate and how to handle issues like revenue loss, employee layoffs, etc… as a result of COVID-19. To help you to navigate your business through this time, we have listed a few
Read more
No Comments

The Results are in: How to Restore Economic Vitality in Santa Barbara

In January, 2019 the City of Santa Barbara hired economic development and real estate advisory firm Kosmot Companies to provide recommendations on how to improve economic vitality downtown. Here are their recommendations from the $84,000 revitalization plan: Regulatory Tools and Policies – Fundamentally review/revamp zoning and permitting process to be more flexible to accommodate market
Read more
No Comments

Sneaking Rent Control into Santa Barbara

Rent control has been a hot political topic this year.  This past May 31st, Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-12-19 which extends the California “state of emergency” – originally declared in December 2017 in response to the Thomas Fire. By signing this Executive Order, Governor Newsom also extended the cap on rental increases that automatically
Read more
No Comments

California LLC Tax First Year: Everything You Need to Know

California LLC tax first year is the amount of tax that a limited liability company (LLC) in California is required to pay in its first year of operation. California imposes an annual tax on almost all LLCs that are registered to conduct business in the state. Understanding First-Year Tax for California LLCs   Almost every
Read more
No Comments

Offshore Oil in the Santa Barbara Channel: The Long Goodbye

Melinda Burns, January 30th, 2019, Noozhawk  Fifty years after the Jan. 28, 1969, oil spill in the Santa Barbara Channel, the region is on the verge of another upheaval — the wholesale removal of aging oil infrastructure. Seven platforms out of 19 in the channel have shut down operations and will likely be removed, starting
Read more
No Comments

Sales & Use Tax: Personal Liability for Corporations & LLCs

Did you know as a corporate director, officer, member, manager, or other person having control or supervision of the filing of returns or payments of taxes, you may become personally liable for any unpaid sales and use taxes, interest, and penalties? Section 6829 of the Revenue and Taxation Code provides that the State Board of
Read more
No Comments

Employment Law Keypoints

As an employer, it is essential to the success of your business that you understand and comply with Federal and State Labor Laws. In doing so you will not only prevent possible future headaches and penalties but also promote a positive image of your business while protecting your investment. Listed below are a few key
Read more
No Comments

California One of Worse State in Labor Prosectutions

BY RICK WEINBERG, California Business Journal California is one of the worst-hit states when it comes to Department of Labor prosecutions, according to a new Fair Labor Standards Act lawsuit research tool released by TSheets, an employee-time tracking app, and Lexology, a legal research platform. Private lawsuits have risen 456% since 1995, while Department of Labor investigations have collected
Read more
No Comments

Commericial Lease Break Down

There are three basic types of commercial real estate leases, organized around two rent calculation methods: “net” and “gross”. In a Gross Lease, the tenant typically pays one lump sum from which the landlord will then pay their building’s operating & maintenance expenses. A Net Lease has a base rent plus additional expenses that are
Read more
No Comments