California law requires landlords to pay tenants relocation assistance in specific circumstances. Most tenants receiving no-fault eviction notices never know this money exists. Understanding when relocation assistance is required — and how much — is the difference between walking away with nothing and receiving a month or more of paid transition time.
AB 1482 No-Fault Evictions
Under AB 1482, landlords who invoke a no-fault just cause reason for eviction must pay the tenant relocation assistance equal to one month’s rent before the tenant vacates. No-fault reasons include owner move-in, removal from the rental market, and substantial renovation. Failure to pay the required relocation assistance is a defense to the eviction and a basis for damages.
Local Ordinances — Often More Generous
Many California cities require relocation assistance beyond AB 1482 minimums. Los Angeles requires up to three months’ rent depending on tenure and income. San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Monica have their own relocation assistance requirements. Always check the local ordinance before accepting any no-fault eviction as valid.
Ellis Act Evictions
When a landlord removes all units in a building from the rental market under the Ellis Act, California law requires relocation assistance. Local ordinances set the specific amounts — in Los Angeles, Ellis Act relocation payments can exceed $20,000 for long-term or elderly tenants. If you receive an Ellis Act notice, the relocation assistance amount is a negotiating point, not a take-it-or-leave-it figure.
Educational use only. Not legal advice. Justice Foundation.
California Tenant Defense System 
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