California A.G. Bonta Issues Alert Advising Tenants of Their Rights

 Attorney General Bonta’ Housing Strike Force Continues Attacks on the State’s Housing Providers

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued a consumer alert advising California tenants of their rights and protections under state law and has urged tenants to seek legal help if they believe their landlord has violated their rights or are facing eviction. According to a press release from the Attorney General’s office:

“Today, my office issued guidance in 24 languages advising California tenants on their rights and protections under state law,” said Attorney General Bonta. “I know navigating tenant-landlord relationships can be difficult, and many California families are struggling to find safe and affordable housing. As a California tenant, you have important rights: You are protected from unjust eviction, eviction without a court order, and large rent hikes. You are also protected from discrimination or retaliation. I urge all Californians to familiarize themselves with their tenant rights, and to seek immediate help if they believe their landlord is violating the law.”

The Attorney General also advised California’s renters to “know your rights” and has provided an extensive list of tenant entitlements and recommendations, including:

• You can only be evicted by court order. It is illegal for a landlord to lock you out, shut off your utilities, or put your things out on the curb to try to force you out.
• You can generally only be evicted for “just cause.” This does not apply if you lived somewhere for less than a year or to some types of housing. A list of "just causes" for eviction is available here.
• Your rent can generally be increased by no more than 10% in one year. Depending on where you live, this “cap" may be even lower. This cap does not apply to some types of housing. When raising your rent, your landlord must provide formal written notice — a call, text, or email is not enough.
• Your landlord must repair health and safety issues. For example, they must provide safe and working plumbing and heating and keep the premises free from roaches and rats. If there is a health or safety issue, ask your landlord in writing to repair it, and keep copies of your requests.
• Your landlord must return your security deposit. Your landlord must itemize any deductions from your security deposit within 21 days of you moving out. Deductions can be made for things like unpaid rent, cleaning, and repairing damage beyond ordinary wear and tear.
• Your landlord must provide reasonable accommodations if you have a disability. Your landlord must also allow you to make reasonable physical modifications to your rental unit.
• Your landlord cannot discriminate against you. Discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, marital status, income source, veteran status, or certain other characteristics is illegal.
• In addition to statewide protections, some cities and counties have additional rental protections, including limits on rent increases and requiring just cause for evictions. 

Last year, Attorney General Bonta announced the creation of his housing Gestapo, the “Housing Strike Force,” which has taken actions to protect and promote tenants' rights at the detriment of honest, hard-working housing providers. Some of the actions taken against housing providers include securing out of court settlements and judgements against landlords, preventing tenant lockouts, harassing eviction attorneys by issuing warning letters alleging the filing of false declarations, and soliciting of complaints and tips against landlords via the Housing Strike Force website so that the Housing Strike Force can investigate and prosecute housing providers.