Temecula, CA Rental Property Rules: Just Cause Eviction (2026)
Just cause eviction rules in Temecula, CA, sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances, list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Key Facts
- Authority
- Just cause required after 12 months (Civil Code §1946.2)
- Rental
- At-fault: nonpayment, lease violation, nuisance
- Authority
- No-fault: owner move-in, Ellis Act withdrawal, substantial remodel
- Animal
- No-fault evictions require 1 month relocation assistance
- Rule
- Retaliation within 180 days of complaint is presumed illegal
Summary
Tenants in Temecula rentals covered by AB 1482 can only be evicted for 'just cause' after 12 months of occupancy, under Civil Code §1946.2. At-fault causes (nonpayment, lease violations, nuisance) require notice and opportunity to cure. No-fault causes (owner move-in, withdrawal from market, substantial remodel) require relocation assistance equal to 1 month's rent. Same exemptions as the rent cap apply.
1946.2.
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, after a tenant has continuously and lawfully occupied a residential real property for 12 months, the owner of the residential real property shall not terminate a 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 residential real property for 24 months, then this subdivision shall only apply if either of the following are satisfied:
(1) All of the tenants have continuously and lawfully occupied the residential real property for 12 months or more.
(2) One or more tenants have continuously and lawfully occupied the residential real property for 24 months or more.
(b) For purposes of this section, "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 paragraph (3) of Section 1161 of the Code of Civil Procedure, including, but not limited to, violation of a provision of the lease after being issued a written notice to correct the violation.
(C) Maintaining, committing, or permitting the maintenance or commission of a nuisance as described in paragraph (4) of Section 1161 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(D) Committing waste as described in paragraph (4) of Section 1161 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(F) Criminal activity by the tenant on the residential real property, including any common areas, or any criminal activity or criminal threat, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 422 of the Penal Code, on or off the residential real property, that is directed at any owner or agent of the owner of the residential real property.
Full Breakdown
2 (part of AB 1482) requires landlords of covered rentals to have 'just cause' to terminate a tenancy after the tenant has occupied the unit for 12 months. At-fault just causes include: nonpayment of rent (3-day notice to pay or quit), breach of a material lease term, nuisance, criminal activity, refusal to allow lawful entry, or refusal to sign a new lease with similar terms. At-fault evictions require written notice and, where curable, an opportunity to cure. No-fault just causes include: owner or relative move-in (must occupy within 90 days for at least 12 months), withdrawal from the rental market (Ellis Act), compliance with government order, or substantial remodel/demolition requiring tenant absence over 30 days.
No-fault evictions require relocation assistance equal to one month's rent (paid directly or as a rent waiver) and 60-day written notice. The same exemptions as AB 1482's rent cap apply: individually-owned SFH/condos with proper notice, new construction under 15 years, owner-occupied duplexes. Temecula has no additional local just-cause ordinance, so state law governs. 2(h). 5), eviction within 180 days of a tenant complaint to authorities is presumed retaliatory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my landlord evict me without a reason?
What relocation assistance do I get for no-fault eviction?
Can my landlord evict me for complaining about repairs?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Temecula
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Just Cause Eviction in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle just cause eviction.