Fullerton, CA Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- FMC 14.13, Uniform Housing Code 1997
- Minimum first-room area
- 120 square feet
- Each added sleeping room
- 70 square feet minimum
- Open space floor
- 100 sq ft per occupant
- Appeal deadline
- 5 working days to Appeals Board
- Compliance period after appeal
- 30 calendar days
- Hearing officer
- City Manager or designee
Summary
Fullerton ties rental habitability to a numeric occupancy formula in its zoning code. Fullerton Municipal Code section 15.17.030(A)(1) caps how many people can live in a unit by requiring at least 120 square feet in the first room, 70 square feet in each added bedroom, and 50 more square feet per extra occupant beyond two per room, measured against the Housing Code that Chapter 14.13 adopts.
(A) Occupancy restrictions. (1) No use of a residential unit may exceed the occupancy load set out in the City Housing Code, i.e., at least one room with 120 square feet of floor area, and at least 70 square feet in each additional sleeping room, plus an additional 50 square feet for each extra person beyond two people in any such room. (2) No use of a residential unit may exceed an occupancy load that would result in fewer than 100 square feet of usable open space, as defined in § 15.17.040(E) of this chapter, on the premises per occupant.
Full Breakdown
13 of the Fullerton Municipal Code adopts the Uniform Housing Code, 1997 Edition by reference under Cal. 2 (Ord. 2882, 1996; amended by Ord. 2951 in 1999, Ord. 3015 in 2002 and Ord. 1 to create a Board of Appeals seated by the Planning Commission: seven members who are not city employees, with the Director of Community and Economic Development serving as ex officio secretary. 040(E). 01. 070). 160, may notify the State Franchise Tax Board under Cal. 5 to strip state tax benefits from a property found to contain substandard, revenue-generating housing. 110.
Violations & Fines
An unresolved habitability or nuisance finding lets the city seek a civil abatement order in court through the City Attorney, or repair or demolish the property directly and record a lien for the cost, collected like a delinquent property tax under Chapter 6.01. If the substandard unit is rented out for income, the Director of Development Services may report the owner to the State Franchise Tax Board under section 6.01.160, eliminating state tax deductions tied to that income. Emergency abatement applies to structurally unsafe conditions under section 6.01.180.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much floor space does Fullerton require per bedroom?
Who enforces Fullerton's housing code against a bad landlord?
Can a Fullerton landlord appeal a substandard-housing order?
What happens if a landlord ignores an abatement order?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fullerton
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