Union City, CA Rental Property Rules: Just Cause Eviction (2026)
Just cause eviction rules in Union City, CA, sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances, list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Key Facts
- Applies to
- All rental units citywide
- Grounds required
- One of 10 listed causes
- Prerequisite
- Business license + registration
- Enforcement
- Private civil right of action
- Adopted
- Ord. 839-17, 2017
Summary
Union City landlords may terminate a residential tenancy only for one of ten specific grounds listed in Chapter 5.50, and must hold a business license and register the unit first.
No landlord may terminate a residential tenancy of a rental unit, recover possession of a rental unit or otherwise endeavor to recover possession of a rental unit in the City unless the landlord can demonstrate all of the following: ... E. The existence of one of the following grounds for termination: 1. Failure to Pay Rent... 2. Breach of Rental Agreement... 9. Landlord Will Remove Unit from Market... 10. Landlord Will Move into Unit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4940544; v16 updated 2026-06-23).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 5.50 of the Union City Municipal Code bars landlords from terminating a residential tenancy, or otherwise recovering possession, unless they hold a valid business license, have registered the rental unit under § 5.50.090, served the required notice of tenant rights, and can prove one of ten enumerated grounds: nonpayment of rent, lease breach, illegal activity, owner move-in, substantial renovation, condo conversion, or permanent unit removal among them. A defective termination can be challenged in court, and an invalid notice entitles the tenant to attorney fees under § 5.50.080.
Violations & Fines
Terminating a tenancy without a listed ground, without a business license, or without registering the unit under § 5.50.090 voids the notice; the landlord can be sued for damages, injunctive relief, and attorney fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Union City landlord evict a tenant for no reason?
What if the landlord can't prove the required grounds?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Union City
California rules heatmap·Compare Union City to another location·View the California rental property rules overview
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Just Cause Eviction in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Alameda County handle just cause eviction.