Just cause eviction rules in Palo Alto, CA — sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances — list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Palo Alto tenants are protected by California AB 1482 (Civil Code 1946.2), which requires landlords to state just cause to terminate tenancies of 12+ months and pay relocation assistance for no-fault evictions.
California AB 1482, codified at Civil Code Section 1946.2, applies to most residential rental units in Palo Alto once a tenant has continuously occupied the unit for 12 months (or 24 months if any additional adult occupants were added). Landlords must have just cause to evict, divided into at-fault reasons (nonpayment of rent, breach of lease, nuisance, criminal activity, refusal to sign a similar lease) and no-fault reasons (owner move-in, withdrawal from rental market, government order, substantial remodel). For no-fault evictions, landlords must pay relocation assistance equal to one month of rent or waive the final month of rent. Single-family homes owned by non-corporate landlords and units built within the last 15 years are generally exempt when proper notice is provided. Palo Alto does not maintain a separate municipal just-cause ordinance beyond the state law, so the state framework governs. Tenants should receive written notice citing the specific cause. Contact Palo Alto Planning at (650) 329-2100 or Project Sentinel for tenant counseling.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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