Redwood City, CA Rental Property Rules: Just Cause Eviction (2026)
Just cause eviction rules in Redwood City, CA, sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances, list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Key Facts
- Protection begins
- After 12 months' occupancy
- Requires
- Stated just cause
- Notice
- Cause stated in writing
- Code section
- RCC 42.5
Summary
In Redwood City, once a tenant has continuously and lawfully occupied a rental unit for 12 months, the landlord may not terminate the tenancy without a stated just cause, which must be given in the written notice to terminate.
Notwithstanding any other law, after a tenant has continuously and lawfully occupied a rental unit for twelve (12) months, the landlord shall not terminate the tenancy without just cause, which shall be stated in the written notice to terminate tenancy. If any additional adult tenants are added to the lease before an existing tenant has continuously and lawfully occupied the rental unit for twenty-four (24) months, then this Section 42.5 shall only apply if either of the following are satisfied:
1. All of the tenants have continuously and lawfully occupied the rental unit for twelve
(12) months or more.
2. One (1) or more of the tenants have continuously and lawfully occupied the rental unit for twenty-four (24) months or more.
B. Just Cause Defined. For purposes of this Chapter, "just cause" means either of the following:
1. At-fault just cause, which means any of the following:
a. Default in the payment of rent.
b. A breach of a material term of the lease, as described in the Code of Civil Procedure
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Zoning Code: Supplement 29 | City Code: Supplement 61 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Redwood City Code section 42.5 provides that, notwithstanding any other law, after a tenant has continuously and lawfully occupied a rental unit for twelve months, the landlord shall not terminate the tenancy without just cause, which must be stated in the written notice to terminate tenancy. Where additional adult tenants are added to the lease before an existing tenant reaches twenty-four months of continuous occupancy, the section applies only if further conditions are met. Just cause includes both at-fault and no-fault grounds, and no-fault terminations can trigger relocation assistance under section 42.6.
Violations & Fines
Terminating a covered tenancy without a stated just cause violates Redwood City Code section 42.5 and exposes the landlord to the tenant remedies in section 42.8.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my Redwood City landlord evict me without a reason?
What if it's a no-fault eviction?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redwood City
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Just Cause Eviction in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Mateo County handle just cause eviction.