Sacramento, CA Rental Property Rules: Just Cause Eviction (2026)
Just cause eviction rules in Sacramento, CA, sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances, list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Key Facts
- Protection trigger
- Tenancy longer than 12 months
- Just-cause grounds
- Seven grounds: nonpayment, breach, nuisance, access, repairs, move-in, withdrawal
- Owner move-in notice
- 120 days' advance written notice required
- Owner move-in ownership
- Landlord needs at least 51% ownership
- Repairs vacancy notice
- 120 days' notice for repairs needing 30+ vacant days
- Tenant remedy
- Petition a hearing examiner for review
Summary
After 12 months in a rental unit, a Sacramento tenant can only be evicted for one of the specific just-cause reasons Chapter 5.156 lists: nonpayment, lease breach, criminal or nuisance conduct, denied access, owner move-in, substantial repairs, or withdrawal from the rental market. No-fault grounds like owner move-in and market withdrawal require at least 120 days' advance written notice.
A. Once a tenant has resided in a rental unit for more than 12 months pursuant to the terms of a rental housing agreement, the landlord is prohibited from taking action including, without limitation, making a demand for possession; threatening to terminate the tenancy of that tenant, whether orally or in writing; serving any notice to quit or other eviction notice; or bringing any action to recover possession of the rental unit unless at least one of the following conditions exists: ... 6. Owner move-in. After providing at least 120 days' advance written notice to the tenant, the landlord seeks to recover possession of the rental unit for use and occupancy as landlord's primary residence or the primary residence of a member of landlord's immediate family for at least 12 months. In this case, landlord must be a natural person with at least 51% ownership of the rental unit.
Full Breakdown
A bars the landlord from demanding possession, threatening termination, serving any notice to quit, or filing to recover possession unless one of seven specific conditions applies. Fault-based grounds include failure to pay rent after a three-day notice, breach of a material lease term following a written notice-to-cure, criminal activity or nuisance conduct that continues after a notice to cease, and refusal to allow landlord access after three offered dates. No-fault grounds carry heavier notice burdens: substantial repairs requiring the unit to sit vacant at least 30 days need 120 days' advance written notice plus a right for the tenant to return at the old rent or move into a comparable unit; owner move-in requires 120 days' notice and limits the landlord to a natural person holding at least 51% ownership who will occupy the unit as a primary residence for at least 12 months; and withdrawing the unit and the whole building from the rental market requires 120 days' notice plus a withdrawal filing with the city. C). B). 030), and run through the chapter's December 31, 2029 sunset date.
Violations & Fines
A landlord who terminates a tenancy outside these seven grounds, or without the required advance notice, faces criminal sanctions, civil actions and administrative penalties under Chapter 1.28 (§5.156.120), and the tenant can raise the landlord's noncompliance as an affirmative defense in any unlawful detainer action (§5.156.110).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my Sacramento landlord evict me without a reason?
How much notice does an owner move-in eviction require in Sacramento?
What can I do if my landlord tries to evict me without a valid reason?
Do these eviction protections apply to any rental unit in Sacramento?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sacramento
California rules heatmap·Compare Sacramento to another location·View the California rental property rules overview
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Just Cause Eviction in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sacramento County handle just cause eviction.