Los Angeles, CA Rental Property Rules: Tenant Anti-Harassment (2026)
Key Facts
- Code
- LAMC §45.30 et seq.
- Ordinance
- Ord. 186585 (2021)
- Civil penalty
- $2,000 to $10,000 per act
- Damages
- Treble plus attorney fees
- Coverage
- All rental units citywide
Summary
Los Angeles bans a long list of landlord harassment tactics under the Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance (TAHO). Civil penalties run from $2,000 to $10,000 per violation, and tenants have a private right of action with treble damages.
1940.2. (a) It is unlawful for a landlord to do any of the following for the purpose of influencing a tenant to vacate a dwelling: (1) Engage in conduct that violates subdivision (a) of Section 484 of the Penal Code. (2) Engage in conduct that violates Section 518 of the Penal Code. (3) Use, or threaten to use, force, willful threats, or menacing conduct constituting a course of conduct that interferes with the tenant's quiet enjoyment of the premises in violation of Section 1927 that would create an apprehension of harm in a reasonable person. ... (4) Commit a significant and intentional violation of Section 1954.
Full Breakdown
Ordinance 186585 (2021), codified at LAMC §45.30 et seq., defines harassment as any of fifteen prohibited acts including threatening or intimidating tenants, refusing to acknowledge rent, abusing entry rights, cutting services, misrepresenting unit status, asking about immigration status, and retaliating for protected activity. Coverage extends to all rental units citywide, not only RSO. LAHD investigates complaints and may issue administrative citations. Tenants may also sue directly in superior court for actual damages, treble damages where the landlord acted knowingly or willfully, statutory civil penalties from $2,000 to $10,000 per violation, additional penalties for senior or disabled tenants, plus attorney fees and injunctive relief.
Violations & Fines
Each prohibited act is a separate violation. Civil penalties run $2,000 to $10,000 per violation, plus treble damages, attorney fees, and possible criminal misdemeanor liability for repeat conduct.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my landlord ask about my immigration status?
Do I have to file with LAHD before I sue?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles
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Tenant Anti-Harassment in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle tenant anti-harassment.