AB 1482, effective January 1, 2020, requires landlords of covered properties to have “just cause” to evict a tenant who has lived in the unit for 12 months or more. This ended no-fault evictions — evictions with no stated reason — for millions of California renters. If your building is covered and your landlord serves a notice without a recognized just cause reason, the eviction is legally invalid.
At-Fault Just Cause
At-fault just cause reasons include: non-payment of rent, breach of a material lease term after written notice to cure, maintaining a nuisance, criminal activity on the premises, subletting without permission, and refusal to sign a new lease with substantially similar terms. For at-fault causes, the landlord must give the tenant an opportunity to cure the breach before filing for eviction.
No-Fault Just Cause
No-fault just cause reasons include: owner or relative move-in, withdrawal of the unit from the rental market, substantial renovation requiring the unit to be vacant, and demolition. For no-fault evictions, the landlord must pay the tenant relocation assistance equal to one month’s rent.
What Buildings Are Covered
AB 1482 covers multi-unit buildings at least 15 years old that are not single-family homes or condos with certain ownership structures. Single-family homes and condos where the owner is an individual are exempt — but the landlord must provide written notice of the exemption in the lease or tenancy agreement. Failure to provide the required exemption notice may make the unit covered even if it would otherwise be exempt.
Educational use only. Not legal advice. Justice Foundation.
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