L.A. Mun. Code ch. XV art. 1; ch. XVI art. 5 § 165.01
FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF PURPOSE (Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance and Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance)
Operative Text
Displacement through arbitrary evictions affects the public health, safety and welfare of Los Angeles residents. Evictions destabilize communities by disrupting longstanding community networks, uprooting children from their schools, forcing low-income residents to pay unaffordable relocation costs, and pushing City residents away from important public services. Additionally, arbitrary evictions are a key driver of homelessness. Approximately 76 percent of the multi-family rental units in the City of Los Angeles are regulated by the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (“RSO”), which protects renters from excessive rent increases and arbitrary evictions. The Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (“TPA”), codified at California Civil Code Sections 1946.2, 1947.12, and 1947.13, provides some protections against price gouging and evictions that did not previously exist for the approximately 138,000 households not covered by the RSO. Hundreds of thousands of Los Angeles households are not protected under either law. Accordingly, the City adopts this Ordinance to provide just cause eviction protections to renters city-wide. The TPA provides that municipalities may adopt protections after September 1, 2019, that are consistent and more protective than those provided under California Civil Code Section 1946.2. The local municipality must also make a binding finding that its ordinance is more protective than the provisions of Civil Code Section 1946.2. The City finds that this Ordinance is consistent with Civil Code Section 1946.2 and is more protective than Civil Code Section 1946.2 by further limiting the reasons for termination of a residential tenancy, providing for higher relocation assistance amounts, and providing additional tenant protections that are not prohibited by any other provision of law.
L.A. Mun. Code ch. XV art. 1; ch. XVI art. 5 § 165.01 sets out the City of Los Angeles's formal rationale for enacting citywide just-cause eviction protections. The City determined that displacement through arbitrary evictions harms public health, safety, and welfare — contributing to community destabilization and homelessness — and that existing state and local protections left hundreds of thousands of households without coverage. To fill that gap, the City adopted this Ordinance, formally finding it to be consistent with and more protective than California Civil Code Section 1946.2 by narrowing permissible grounds for ending a tenancy, increasing relocation assistance amounts, and adding further tenant protections.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under L.A. Mun. Code ch. XV art. 1; ch. XVI art. 5 § 165.01, the City has established a policy framework that extends just-cause eviction requirements beyond those already imposed by the RSO and the state Tenant Protection Act of 2019. Operators managing rental properties in Los Angeles — including units not previously covered by the RSO — generally account for this broader coverage when evaluating the grounds available to terminate a tenancy. Because the City formally found this Ordinance to be more protective than Civil Code Section 1946.2, compliance typically means consulting the full local framework rather than relying solely on state-law standards.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 165.01 of L.A. Mun. Code ch. XV art. 1; ch. XVI art. 5 reflects the City's stated commitment to protecting renters from arbitrary displacement, including those in units not covered by the RSO or the state Tenant Protection Act of 2019. Tenants whose households fall into previously unprotected categories may have rights under this Ordinance that did not exist before its adoption, such as access to higher relocation assistance and a narrower set of permissible eviction grounds. Renters who believe these protections apply to their situation can explore options such as contacting the Los Angeles Housing Department, raising the Ordinance as a defense in an 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 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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