Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California

I would think that an e-mail would be considered written notice, as it is in fact more accurate and faster than the USPS. Since there is very strict rent control in Oakland, the landlord is not going to be able to raise your rent by that large of a percentage. Call up the Rent Board and find out what the current allowable increase is and how much can be added as banked increases. Ask them whether the demand for renter's insurance is permitted. The only advantage to a landlord for renter's insurance is if the source of the loss is unclear as to whose fault it is, the tenant who can collect from his own insurance is somewhat less likely to make a claim agsinst the landlord's insurance. Also, the tenant has less of a decrease in the amount of money they have so are less likely not to pay theri rent.