Tenant Protection Act of 2019

We’ve made historic advances in tenants’ rights to prevent unjust evictions and unfair rent increases.

TechEquity, in partnership with a statewide coalition of housing organizations and tenant activists, passed the Tenant Protection Act of 2019. This was TechEquity’s first time co-sponsoring statewide legislation—and it certainly won’t be our last.

Our bill (AB 1482) is a historic victory, protecting more renters than any other bill in American history. We are proud to have passed this statewide legislation!

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Legislators, members of the Keep Families Home Coalition, and bill sponsors celebrate the passage of the bill

The Tenant Protection Act of 2019 protects a majority of California’s renters against outrageous rent increases and unfair evictions.

Under the Tenant Protection Act, eligible renters are protected from unjust evictions. This means the landlord must have a valid reason for evicting the tenant.

Renters are protected against rent increases that exceed 10% in a one year period or the cost of living + 5%, whichever is lower. This is often referred to as a “rent-cap” because it caps the amount landlords can legally increase rent year after year.

Since its passage, we’ve built a Tenant Protections Tool so California renters can learn about their new rights and determine if they’re covered by this new law.

SEE THE TOOL

The Tenant Protection Act of 2019 provides a floor of protections for California tenants who are not covered by local just cause or rent control policies. This protection is in addition to your local policies, not instead of your local policies.

You are covered if:

  • You live in a single-family home that is owned by a corporation
  • You live in a duplex or triplex and your landlord does not live on site
  • You live in a building with four or more units, regardless of whether your landlord lives onsite and your building is at least 15 years old

You are not covered if:

  • You live in a single-family home that is owned by a person or family trust, and IF your landlord has given you notice that the home is exempt.
  • You live in a duplex and your landlord lives in one of the units, you are not covered.

The Tenant Protection Act of 2019 protects eligible California tenants through just cause and an anti-gouging rent cap.

After one year of occupancy, your landlord must have a valid and just reason to evict you.

Such as:

  • Failure to pay rent
  • Continued lease violations
  • Significant property damage
  • Illegal activity
  • Your landlord wants to move in

If you get an eviction notice that has no stated reason, or a notice that does not have a just cause reason for eviction, the notice may be invalid (despite what your landlord may tell you).

You are protected against steep rent increases. The allowable amount for increase varies region to region but can be no more than 10% each year statewide.

The information contained on this website is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be considered legal advice on any matter.