Los Angeles, CA Rental Property Rules: Just Cause Eviction (2026)
Just cause eviction rules in Los Angeles, CA, sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances, list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Key Facts
- Just-cause grounds (RSO units)
- 14 grounds under LAMC § 151.09 A.
- Relocation fee: qualified tenants, under 3 years
- $23,150
- Relocation fee: qualified tenants, 3+ years or ≤80% AMI
- $27,400
- Relocation fee: other tenants, under 3 years
- $11,000
- Relocation fee: other tenants, 3+ years
- $14,400
- Non-RSO just-cause ordinance
- LAMC § 165.03 (applies after initial lease or 6 months)
Summary
Los Angeles's Rent Stabilization Ordinance limits landlords to 14 specific just-cause grounds for evicting tenants, covering both fault-based and no-fault reasons. No-fault evictions (owner move-in, demolition, government order, withdrawal from rental use) require paying relocation fees to displaced tenants.
A. A landlord may bring an action to recover possession of a rental unit only upon one of the following grounds:
1. The tenant has failed to pay rent to which the landlord is entitled; provided, however, that the landlord's right to evict a tenant lawfully in possession of residential housing under this subdivision is limited to defaults in payment where the amount due exceeds one month of fair market rent for the Los Angeles metro area...
2. The tenant has violated a lawful obligation or covenant of the tenancy and has failed to cure the violation after having received written notice from the landlord...
3. The tenant is committing or permitting to exist a nuisance in or is causing damage to, the rental unit or to the unit's appurtenances, or to the common areas of the complex containing the rental unit, or is creating an unreasonable interference with the comfort, safety, or enjoyment of any of the other residents of the rental complex... [...]
8. The landlord seeks in good faith to recover possession of the rental unit for use and occupancy as a primary place of residence by: (a) The landlord; or (b) The landlord's spouse, grandchildren, children, parents or grandparents...
10. The landlord seeks in good faith to recover possession...to demolish the rental unit; or to remove the rental unit permanently from rental housing use.
Full Breakdown
Fault-based grounds (LAMC § 151.09 A.1–7) include nonpayment of rent exceeding one month's HUD fair market rent, failure to cure a lease violation after written notice, nuisance or property damage, illegal use, refusal to sign a like-term lease renewal, denial of access, and unapproved subtenant. No-fault grounds (§ 151.09 A.8–14) include good-faith owner or close-family-member occupancy, demolition or permanent withdrawal from rental use, compliance with a government vacate order, and conversion to affordable housing. No-fault evictions trigger relocation payments: $23,150 to qualified tenants and $11,000 to others when tenancy is under 3 years; $27,400 and $14,400 respectively for 3+ year tenancies (adjusted annually by CPI). LAMC § 165.03 extends nearly identical just-cause protections to non-RSO units after the first lease term or 6 months of occupancy.
Violations & Fines
Violations of the eviction grounds provisions may be raised by tenants as an affirmative defense in unlawful detainer actions. Landlords who fail to pay required relocation assistance are liable in a civil action for the unpaid amount plus reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. Making a false statement in a required notice or declaration under LAMC § 151.09 is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 or up to 6 months in County Jail, or both. Each day of violation constitutes a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my landlord evict me simply because my lease expired?
If my landlord wants my unit for a family member, do I get paid to move?
Does just-cause protection apply to newer apartments not covered by rent control?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles
California rules heatmap·Compare Los Angeles to another location·View the California rental property rules overview
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Just Cause Eviction in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle just cause eviction.