Community Development

Tenants who have continuously and lawfully lived in the rental unit for 12 months or more. 

• Homes where the tenant shares bathroom or kitchen facilities with the owner
• Single-family owner-occupied residences, including a residence in which the owner rents or leases no more than two or more units or bedrooms
• An owner-occupied duplex in which the owner lives in the residence at the start of the tenancy and continues to live there
• Housing built within the previous 15 years
• Single-family homes or condominiums if the owner is a natural person (not a real estate investment trust, corporation, or LLC.)
• Low-income housing restricted by deed, regulatory restriction, or other agreement
• Hotels, hospitals, senior facilities, religious facilities, school dormitories

Tenants may only be evicted for a specific “at-fault” or “no-fault” reason (“just cause”).

At-fault just causes:

• Failure to pay rent within 3 days of receiving notice
• Breach of a material (important) term of the rental agreement
• Maintaining or creating a nuisance or doing substantial damage to the property (“waste”).
• Refusal to sign a lease which was similar to original lease terms
• Criminal activity by the tenant on the property or directed toward owner or owner’s agent
• Subleasing the rental unit without permission
• Failure to grant landlord reasonable access to the rental unit for necessary repairs 
• Using the property for an unlawful purpose
• Tenant is an employee, agent, or licensee of the landlord and failed to vacate after termination as an employee, agent, or licensee
• Refusal to move out after giving written notice to landlord

No-fault just causes:

• A landlord or their immediate family wants to move into the rental unit
• Landlord intends to remove the property from the rental housing market permanently
• Landlord intends to demolish or substantially remodel the unit
• Landlord is complying with a government order for the tenant to vacate

• For tenancy terminations due to the landlord’s intent to demolish the building or substantially remodel, tenants are entitled to either $4,500 or two months of the tenant’s rent, whichever is greater.

• For all other no-fault just cause terminations, tenants are entitled to relocation assistance equal to one month of the tenant’s rent. The landlord may elect to pay the tenant or waive last month’s rent.

• Tenants may bring a civil action against a landlord who falsely evicts on the basis of landlord’s intent to demolish or substantially remodel the unit.

For more information on substantial remodel tenant displacement, visit longbeach.gov/srtd.

• LB Just Cause Guide
• LBMC 8.99 - Just Cause for Termination of Tenancies
• Notice to Rental Property Owners Regarding Substantial Remodel Building Permit

The County’s COVID-19 Tenant Protections Resolution, formerly the LA County Eviction Moratorium, which took effect March 4, 2020, provided certain protections to residential tenants, commercial tenants and mobile home space renters affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Los Angeles County. The Resolution expired March 31, 2023. For residential tenants and mobile home space renters who utilized the County’s non-payment of rent protections between July 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023, certain protections remain. Additional Information is available at dcba.lacounty.gov/noevictions.

Just Cause for Termination of Tenancies Ordinance

Three community meetings were held in August and September of 2024 to gather input and inform the community of numerous housing policy and zoning initiatives that were underway, including the Just Cause for Termination of Tenancies Ordinance. A stakeholder focus group was also held with property owner and developer representatives. The Just Cause Ordinance outlines the reasons under which a residential tenancy can be legally terminated. It also ensures that landlords have guidelines to follow when they need to terminate a tenancy and has been a vital tool in protecting renters from arbitrary and unfair evictions. This presentation provides an overview of the tenant protection policy, why it matters, and how the community was able to provide input.

The Housing and Public Health Committee received an update on the Ordinance and provided an opportunity for public comment on October 15,2024. The meeting can be viewed here.