L.A. Mun. Code ch. XV art. 1; ch. XVI art. 5 § 151.22
ELLIS ACT PROVISIONS - STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND EFFECT (Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance and Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance)
Operative Text
(Added by Ord. No. 177,901, Eff. 9/29/06.) California Government Code Sections 7060, et seq. (the “Ellis Act”) permits the City, among other things, to require landlords to provide all tenants with 120 days notice, or one year if the tenants lived in the accommodations for at least one year and are more than 62 years of age or disabled, when rental units subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance are to be withdrawn from the rental market. The Ellis Act also permits the City to impose other restrictions, conditions and requirements upon the property. It is the purpose of this section, and Sections 151.23 through 151.28 , to implement provisions of the Ellis Act. The Department may develop forms and regulations to assist in the implementation of these provisions. There continues to be a low vacancy rate for rental units in the City of Los Angeles, and the withdrawal of residential rental property from rent or lease will exacerbate the rental housing shortage and make it more difficult for tenants displaced by the withdrawal to obtain replacement housing. Because of the rental housing shortage, it is essential that tenants be afforded substantial advance notice to enable them to obtain replacement housing, and that they receive other protections available under law. In any action by a landlord to recover possession of a rental unit subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, including, but not limited to, where an owner seeks to displace a tenant from accommodations withdrawn from rent pursuant to this chapter by an unlawful detainer proceeding, the tenant may appear and answer or demurer pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1170 and may raise as an affirmative defense the failure of the landlord to comply with one or more of the requirements of Sections 151.22 through 151.28 , as well as the failure of the landlord to comply with any other requirement of this chapter. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,224, Eff. 12/13/17.) If rental units subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance were demolished subsequent to September 29, 2006, the effective date of Sections 151.22 through 151.28 , without complying with the requirements set forth hereunder, then all replacement rental units constructed on the same property shall be deemed subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, Section 151.00 , et seq., and other provisions of this chapter. Additionally, any landlord who is found to have demolished a property subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance subsequent to September 29, 2006, without complying with the requirements of Sections 151.22 through 151.28 shall be subject to a penalty. (Added by Ord. No. 184,873, Eff. 6/4/17.) Pursuant to California Government Code section 7060, the Ellis Act and Sections 151.22 through 151.28 shall not apply to a Residential Hotel as defined in accordance with California Health and Safety Code section 50519 and Section 47.70 , et seq., of this Code. (Added by Ord. No. 184,873, Eff. 6/4/17.)
Section 151.22 of the L.A. Municipal Code implements California's Ellis Act, which allows landlords to withdraw RSO-covered rental units from the market but requires them to give tenants substantial advance notice—120 days in most cases, or one year for tenants who are 62 or older or disabled and have lived there at least a year. The provision acknowledges Los Angeles's low vacancy rate and frames these protections as a response to the hardship that market withdrawals impose on displaced renters. Residential Hotels, as defined under state and local law, are explicitly excluded from these requirements.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 151.22, operators withdrawing RSO-covered units from the rental market are generally expected to follow the notice timelines and procedural requirements set out in Sections 151.22 through 151.28, including the extended one-year notice for qualifying elderly or disabled long-term tenants. Compliant operators also avoid demolishing RSO-covered property without satisfying these requirements, since non-compliant demolitions after September 29, 2006 can cause replacement units to be brought under RSO coverage and trigger financial penalties. Familiarity with the Department's forms and regulations developed to implement these provisions is a standard part of managing a lawful Ellis Act withdrawal.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 151.22 establishes that tenants in RSO-covered units facing an Ellis Act withdrawal are entitled to meaningful advance notice, and those who are 62 or older or disabled and have lived in their unit for at least a year are entitled to a full year's notice. If a landlord initiates an unlawful detainer proceeding to recover possession, tenants may raise the landlord's failure to comply with Sections 151.22 through 151.28 as an affirmative defense in that action. Tenants who believe these protections have been violated can explore options such as contacting the Los Angeles Housing Department, raising a defense in any eviction proceeding, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for general information.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 6, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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