Hemet, CA Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- State standard
- Health & Safety Code § 17920.3
- Local mechanism
- Nuisance-abatement notice and hearing
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor or administrative fine
- Enforced by
- Code enforcement, per-day violation
Summary
Hemet enforces California's substandard-housing standard, Health & Safety Code § 17920.3, as a local public nuisance subject to city abatement action.
(c)Any building or structure, or portion thereof, or the premises on which the same is located, in which there exists any of the conditions listed in Health and Safety Code § 17920.3, and any future amendments thereto.(d)Any building or structure used by any person to engage in acts which are prohibited pursuant to the laws of the United States or the State of California, the provisions of the Hemet Municipal Code, or any other ordinance of the city, including, but not limited to, the following acts:(1)Unlawful possession, use, and/or sale of controlled substances;(2)Prostitution; and/or(3)Unlawful gambling.(e)Any chronic nuisance as prohibited by section 46-65.(f)Any condition, use, or activity that constitutes a public nuisance as defined by Civil Code § 3479 or 3480, and any future amendments thereto.(g)Any building, structure, or use of real property that violates or fails to comply with:(i)Any applicable approval, permit, license, or entitlement or condition relating thereto;(ii)Any ordinance of the city, including, but not limited to, any provision of this Code; or(iii)Any applicable county, state, or federal law or regulation. (Ord. No. 1865, § 2(Exh. A), 7-9-13)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 69 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 30-32.1(c) declares any building or premises with conditions listed in Health and Safety Code § 17920.3 -- the state's substandard housing standard covering things like inadequate sanitation, plumbing, heating, and structural hazards -- a local public nuisance. The city enforces this through its own notice-of-abatement and hearing process rather than leaving tenants to a private habitability claim: a code enforcement officer can require repair, rehabilitation, or demolition on a compliance deadline, and noncompliance is a misdemeanor or administrative fine under Sec. 30-33.
Violations & Fines
A rental unit with conditions matching Health & Safety Code § 17920.3 that isn't corrected within the compliance period is a public nuisance, punishable as a misdemeanor or administrative fine under Sec. 30-33.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Hemet have its own rental habitability code?
What happens if a landlord doesn't fix a substandard unit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hemet
California rules heatmap·Compare Hemet to another location·View the California rental property rules overview
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Repairs & Habitability in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle repairs & habitability.