Glendale's Rental Property Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles rental property rules a little differently. In Glendale, California, there are 5 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Repairs & Habitability

When a Glendale landlord intentionally lets a rental unit fall into disrepair badly enough to make it untenantable or expose the tenant to hazards like lead paint or asbestos, Municipal Code Section 9.30.040 requires the landlord, on top of the tenant's habitability rights under Civil Code Sections 1941.1 and 1941.2, to pay for safe temporary lodging, meals, laundry, and pet accommodation until repairs are finished.

Key details: Base rights: Applies on top of Civil Code 1941.1/1941.2. Housing location: Temp housing: in Glendale or within 2 miles. Cost: Landlord pays motel bill even if pricier. Timing: 24-hour turnaround from vacate notice/order. Buyout: Buyout option after 30+ day displacement.

A landlord who fails to provide the required temporary housing, meal, laundry, pet, or moving-cost benefits under Section 9.30.040 is subject to the Chapter 9.30 remedies in Section 9.30.050, giving the tenant an affirmative defense against any related eviction action, the right to seek injunctive relief and money damages, and, as the prevailing party, an award of attorneys' fees and costs. A tenant must first give the landlord written notice of the untenantable conditions unless the landlord already knows.

Just Cause Eviction

Since 2002, Glendale's Rental Rights Program has barred landlords from evicting a covered tenant without a specific cause listed in Municipal Code Section 9.30.030, overriding the plain 30- or 60-day no-cause notice that California's Civil Code Section 1946 otherwise allows. Acceptable grounds include nonpayment, an uncured lease violation, nuisance, owner move-in, demolition, or a substantial remodel requiring the unit be vacated.

Key details: Origin: Just cause required since Ord. 5326, 2002. Grounds: 12 exclusive grounds listed in Sec. 9.30.030. Remodel threshold: Remodel eviction needs cost ≥8x monthly rent. Move-in rule: Owner move-in: occupy 1 year within 2 months. Bad-faith penalty: Bad-faith eviction: 3x damages plus fees.

A landlord who acts in bad faith when invoking the demolition, remodel, or owner/relative move-in grounds is liable under Section 9.30.030(H)(6) for three times the tenant's actual damages, plus exemplary damages and attorneys' fees. More broadly, Section 9.30.050 gives any tenant facing an eviction that skips a valid Section 9.30.030 ground an affirmative defense to the unlawful detainer action, the right to injunctive relief, money damages, and attorneys' fees for the prevailing party.

This is one of the stricter rules in Glendale's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Rent Increase Notice

Any Glendale landlord who raises rent above a 'non-relocation rent increase,' generally 7% within 12 months, must give the tenant written notice of the increase together with a required disclosure of the tenant's right to relocation assistance under Municipal Code Sections 9.30.033 and 9.30.035. The tenant then has 14 days to elect to vacate and collect the relocation payment instead of paying the higher rent.

Key details: Trigger: Non-relocation threshold: 7% rent increase. Election window: Tenant election window: 14 days. Banking cap: Banking cap: 21% over time. Hard trigger: One-time increase over 15% always triggers rights. Fee amount: Relocation fee: 3x post-increase rent.

A landlord who raises rent past the non-relocation threshold without providing the required relocation-assistance notice, or who fails to honor a timely tenant election to vacate and pay the resulting relocation fee, is subject to the Chapter 9.30 remedies in Section 9.30.050: the tenant gets an affirmative defense to any eviction action, may seek injunctive relief, can recover money damages, and, as the prevailing party, is entitled to attorneys' fees and costs.

Rent Control

Glendale has no local rent board or rent-cap ordinance of its own. Instead, the statewide Tenant Protection Act, Civil Code Section 1947.12, sets the ceiling: a Glendale landlord cannot raise rent on an existing tenant by more than 5% plus the change in the regional cost-of-living index, or 10%, whichever is lower, in any 12-month period, and may not split that into more than two increases.

Key details: Cap formula: Cap: lesser of 10% or 5%+CPI. Frequency limit: Max 2 increases per 12-month period. Local status: Applies statewide; no local Glendale rent board. Index used: CPI index used: LA-Long Beach-Anaheim CPI-U. New tenancy: New tenancy rent resets, uncapped.

Under Civil Code Section 1947.12(k), a landlord who demands, accepts, or retains rent above the lawful cap is liable to the tenant for injunctive relief, damages equal to the overcharge, and, at the court's discretion, attorneys' fees and costs, rising to triple damages if the overcharge was willful, oppressive, fraudulent, or malicious. The California Attorney General and the Glendale city attorney may also sue to enforce the cap and seek civil penalties on the city's behalf.

Rental Registration

Glendale's Rental Rights Program requires landlords to comply with registration and disclosure requirements. The program includes Just Cause Eviction, Relocation Assistance, Right to Lease (5+ unit properties), Intentional Disrepair protections, and Rent Reduction provisions.

Key details: Program: Rental Rights Program. Right to Lease: 5+ units must offer 1-year lease. Components: 5 tenant protection areas. Established: 2019, updated 2024.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Glendale actively enforces its rental registration requirements.

The Bottom Line

Glendale is tougher than many cities when it comes to rental property rules. Out of the 5 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Glendale, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Glendale's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.