Just cause eviction rules in Orange County, CA — sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances — list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Unincorporated Orange County has no local just cause eviction ordinance. California's Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482, Civil Code §1946.2) provides statewide just cause eviction protections for tenants who have occupied a unit for 12 or more months. Landlords must cite a specific at-fault or no-fault reason to terminate tenancy.
Under California Civil Code §1946.2 (AB 1482), landlords in unincorporated Orange County may not terminate a tenancy of 12 months or longer without stating a just cause. At-fault causes include: nonpayment of rent, material lease violation, nuisance, criminal activity, refusal to execute a lease renewal on similar terms, subletting in violation of the lease, refusal to allow lawful access, and failure to vacate after notice. No-fault causes include: owner move-in, withdrawal from the rental market (Ellis Act), compliance with government or court order, and substantial remodel requiring vacancy. For no-fault evictions, landlords must provide relocation assistance equal to one month's rent or waive the final month's rent. The law applies to the same units covered by the rent cap provisions — most units at least 15 years old. Only the City of Santa Ana within Orange County has adopted a separate local just cause eviction ordinance with additional protections.
A landlord who terminates a tenancy without proper just cause may face a civil lawsuit for wrongful eviction. Tenants can recover actual damages, including moving costs and rent differential, plus potential punitive damages. The tenant may also be entitled to return to the unit. There is no local administrative enforcement in unincorporated Orange County.
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See how Orange County's just cause eviction rules stack up against other locations.
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