L.A. Mun. Code ch. XV art. 1; ch. XVI art. 5 § 165.06

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE (Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance and Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance)

In Force
Verified 6/11/2026 · Next check 9/9/2026
Los AngelesNo-Fault Relocation Payments

Operative Text

L.A. Mun. Code ch. XV art. 1; ch. XVI art. 5 § 165.06
A. If the termination of tenancy is based on any of the grounds set forth in Sections 165.03 H. through 165.03 N., then the landlord shall pay relocation assistance to the tenant as follows:

(1) For tenants who resided at the residential real property for fewer than three years: $19,400 to qualified tenants and $9,200 to all other tenants;

(2) For tenants who resided at the residential real property for three years or longer: $22,950 to qualified tenants and $12,050 to all other tenants;

(3) For tenants whose household income is 80% or below Area Median Income (AMI), as adjusted for household size, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, regardless of length of tenancy: $22,950 to qualified tenants and $12,050 to all other tenants.

(4) The amounts of relocation in Sections 165.06 A.(1) through 165.06 A.(3) do not apply if lower relocation assistance is applicable under Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 151.30 E.

(5) Relocation fees owed to terminate tenancies under Section 165.03 K. or 165.03 M. shall be based on the applicable provisions of the Uniform Relocation Act, California Relocation Assistance Act, or the amounts set forth in this section, whichever is greater.

(6) When the residential real property is a single-family dwelling and the owner is a natural person, including natural persons who hold properties in a trust or registered legal entity controlled by that natural person, who owns no more than four dwelling units and a single-family home on a separate lot in the City of Los Angeles: one month’s rent that was in effect when the landlord served the written notice to terminate the tenancy, as either a monetary payment or credit. Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 151.30 E. shall not apply.

(7) If more than one relocation assistance payment applies, the landlord shall pay the highest of the applicable payment. Nothing relieves the landlord from the obligation to provide relocation assistance pursuant to City administrative agency action or any other provision of local, state or federal law. If a tenant is entitled to monetary relocation benefits pursuant to City administrative agency action or any provision of local, state or federal law, then those benefits shall operate as a credit against any fee required to be paid to the tenant under this section.

B. Tenants who claim eligibility based on their income shall file a statement with the Department verifying their income on a form prescribed by the Department.

C. Requests for a hearing to appeal a decision regarding a tenant’s relocation assistance eligibility, including disputes about eligibility for higher relocation assistance based on a tenant’s income, age, length of tenancy, family status or disability status, must be filed in writing on the form prescribed by the Department and received by the Department within 15 calendar days of the date of the Department’s notification of its decision regarding tenant relocation assistance. The Department shall charge a fee of $300 for any hearing request to pay for the cost of the appeal hearing.

D. The payment amounts shall be adjusted on an annual basis pursuant to the formula set forth in Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 151.06 D. The adjusted amount shall be rounded to the nearest $50 increment.

E. Relocation assistance payments to the tenant shall be made as follows:

(1) The entire fee shall be paid to a tenant who is the only tenant in the residential real property.

(2) If the residential real property is occupied by two or more tenants, then each tenant shall be paid an equal, pro-rata share of the fee.

F. If the termination of tenancy is based on the grounds set forth in Section 165.03 H., 165.03 I., 165.03 J., 165.03 K., or 165.03 N. of this Code, then the landlord shall also pay the City a fee for the purpose of providing relocation assistance by the City’s Relocation Assistance Service Provider, as defined in Los Angeles Municipal Code Sections 47.06 B. and 47.07 B. The fee shall be $971 for each unit occupied by a qualified tenant and $604 for each unit occupied by other tenants, and an additional $83 per unit to pay for the administrative costs associated with this service. The fees may be increased annually pursuant to the formula set forth in Section 151.06 D. of this Code except that the increase shall be based on 100 percent of the percentage change as determined by the Department. The Relocation Assistance Service Provider will provide the relocation assistance services listed in Los Angeles Municipal Code Sections 47.06 D. and 47.07 D. These fees shall not be charged when Section 165.06 A.(6) applies. (Amended by Ord. No. 188,795, Eff. 2/2/26.)

G. The landlord shall perform the acts described in this section within 15 days of service of a written notice of termination described in California Civil Code Section 1946. The landlord may in its sole discretion elect to pay the monetary relocation benefits pursuant to this section to an escrow account to be disbursed to the tenant upon certification of vacation of the unit. The escrow account shall provide for the payment prior to vacation of all or a portion of the monetary relocation benefits for actual relocation expenses incurred or to be incurred by the tenant prior to vacation, including but not limited to security deposits, moving expense deposits and utility connection charges. Rent Adjustment Commission Regulations governing Relocation Assistance Escrow Accounts, Section 960.00, et seq., shall govern the establishment of escrow accounts, disbursements, disputes, and closure.

H. Any tenant subject to displacement because of a notice to vacate or other order requiring the vacation of an unpermitted dwelling unit in violation of the municipal code or any other provision of law, when the landlord has had a reasonable opportunity to correct the violation, shall be entitled to relocation payable by the landlord to the tenant within 15 days of service of the written notice of termination of the tenancy in accordance with this section.

I. No relocation assistance payment shall be required in the following circumstances:

(1) The landlord seeks in good faith to recover possession of the residential real property for use and occupancy by a resident manager, provided that the resident manager is replacing the existing resident manager in the same unit.

(2) The Department determines that the unit or structure became unsafe or hazardous as the result of a fire, flood, earthquake, or other event beyond the control of the owner or the designated agent and the owner or designated agent did not cause or contribute to the condition.

J. A landlord may offset the tenant’s accumulated rent against any relocation assistance due under this section, unless the relocation assistance is owed because a termination of tenancy is required by a governmental agency order to vacate or comply issued for an unpermitted dwelling.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Under L.A. Mun. Code § 165.06, when a landlord terminates a tenancy for certain no-fault or owner-related reasons, the landlord must pay the departing tenant a set relocation amount that varies based on length of residency, income relative to Area Median Income, and whether the tenant qualifies as a 'qualified tenant.' Payment must generally be made within 15 days of serving the termination notice, and the amounts are adjusted annually.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on September 7, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under § 165.06, compliant operators identify which relocation tier applies to each affected tenant—accounting for tenancy length, qualified-tenant status, and AMI-based income—and deliver the highest applicable payment within 15 days of serving the termination notice. Operators of small single-family properties owned by a natural person with no more than four units may owe only one month's rent instead of the tiered amounts. Landlords also pay a separate City fee for certain no-fault termination types to fund the City's Relocation Assistance Service Provider.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

§ 165.06 establishes your right to a relocation payment when a landlord terminates your tenancy on specific grounds, with higher amounts available to 'qualified tenants' and lower-income households at or below 80% AMI. If you believe the amount offered is wrong or your eligibility was misclassified, you may file an income-verification statement with the Department and request a formal hearing within 15 calendar days of the Department's decision (a $300 filing fee applies). Tenant-rights organizations in Los Angeles can help you understand which tier applies to your household under this provision.

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 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.

References In

No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.

Related Rules

§ 1947.9
§ 1954.535
§ 17975

Source Information

Snapshot SHA:
Fetched:Jun 11, 2026, 04:10 AM UTC