Cal. Civ. Code § 1940.7
California Civil Code
Operative Text
(a) The Legislature finds and declares that the December 10, 1983, tragedy in Tierra Santa, in which lives were lost as a result of a live munition exploding in a residential area that was formerly a military ordnance location, has demonstrated (1) the unique and heretofore unknown risk that there are other live munitions in former ordnance locations in California, (2) that these former ordnance locations need to be identified by the federal, state, or local authorities, and (3) that the people living in the neighborhood of these former ordnance locations should be notified of their existence. Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature that the disclosure required by this section is solely warranted and limited by (1) the fact that these former ordnance locations cannot be readily observed or discovered by landlords and tenants, and (2) the ability of a landlord who has actual knowledge of a former ordnance location within the neighborhood of his or her rental property to disclose this information for the safety of the tenant. (b) The landlord of a residential dwelling unit who has actual knowledge of any former federal or state ordnance locations in the neighborhood area shall give written notice to a prospective tenant of that knowledcge prior to the execution of a rental agreement. In cases of tenancies in existence on January 1, 1990, this written notice shall be given to tenants as soon as practicable thereafter. (c) For purposes of this section: (1) “Former federal or state ordnance location” means an area identified by an agency or instrumentality of the federal or state government as an area once used for military training purposes and which may contain potentially explosive munitions. (2) “Neighborhood area” means within one mile of the residential dwelling.
California Civil Code § 1940.7 establishes a disclosure rule tied to the risk of unexploded military munitions in former ordnance locations. When a landlord has actual knowledge that a property once used for military training purposes — and potentially containing live explosives — exists within one mile of a rental home, that fact must be communicated to tenants in writing before a lease is signed. The rule was prompted by a 1983 incident in Tierra Santa in which a live munition detonated in a residential neighborhood, and it applies only where the landlord possesses actual knowledge, since such sites are generally not visible or discoverable through ordinary inspection.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1940.7, compliant residential landlords and property managers document any actual knowledge they have of former federal or state ordnance locations within one mile of their rental properties and deliver written notice of that knowledge to prospective tenants before a rental agreement is executed. Operators generally maintain records of how and when such knowledge was acquired — for example, through government notices, maps, or agency communications — so that the disclosure obligation can be assessed and fulfilled consistently. For tenancies that predated January 1, 1990, the statute required that written notice be provided as soon as practicable, a standard that underscores the importance of acting promptly once actual knowledge is obtained.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Cal. Civ. Code § 1940.7 gives residential tenants the right to receive written notice before signing a lease if their prospective landlord actually knows that a former military ordnance site — one that may contain unexploded munitions — is located within one mile of the rental dwelling. If a tenant believes this written disclosure was not provided when it should have been, general enforcement paths include raising the omission with a local housing agency, contacting a tenant-rights organization familiar with California disclosure requirements, or consulting an attorney about whether the failure to disclose affects the tenancy. Because the statute's trigger is the landlord's "actual knowledge," tenants who suspect a nearby ordnance site exists may also find it useful to research publicly available federal or state government records identifying former military training areas.
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 3, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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