The City Of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations And Just Cause For Eviction Protections

The City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance and Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance regulate how much a landlord can increase a tenant’s rent and prohibits evictions of tenants unless the landlord has a just-cause reason.  The ordinances also cover what types of evictions require relocation payments to tenants, prohibit harassment by landlords, and regulate buyout agreements.

The ordinances went into effect in 2019 and initially only protected buildings with five or more units.  In 2021, the laws were amended to provide protections to most multi-unit buildings and to require landlords to register their properties with the city. 

Are landlords required to register their residential rental units under the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance? 

Yes.  Landlords must file a registration statement for all units that are offered for rent or that are rented.   Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-126(a)(1).  Owners of properties that are exempt from the ordinance must also register their property to receive an exemption certificate. Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-126(a)(2).  Registration statements and claims of exemptions must be filed annually on or before October 1.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-126(b). 

Registration certificates must be posted in a conspicuous place in a common area and the posting needs to be in English, Spanish, and any other language the Housing Protection Department (“Department”) may require.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-126(j). 

Beginning May 1, 2022, owners who fail to properly register their property will not be allowed to advertise the unit for rent, demand or accept rent for the rental unit, evict a tenant, or petition the Rental Housing Board (“Board”) for any reason.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-126(c)  

If a property was incorrectly registered as exempt because a landlord misrepresented information, the exemption may be revoked retroactively, and the unit will be subject to the ordinances.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-126(m). 

What units are protected under the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance?

All properties with at least two units are subject to the rent-ceiling limits under the ordinance unless they meet one of the exemptions below.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-125(k).

Units that are not subject to the City of Inglewood rent-ceiling limitations are the following: 

• Rooms in a motel, hotel, rooming house, or boarding house that are rented to transient guests for a period of less than thirty consecutive days. 
• Units in a nonprofit hospital, religious facility, extended care facility, licensed residential care facility for the elderly, or an adult residential facility that provides 24-hour nonmedical care and supervision. 
• Dormitories owned and operated by a school or an institution of higher education.
• Affordable housing units.
• Properties that are exempt under the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which exempts single-family homes, condominiums, and properties built after February 1, 1995. 
• Owner-occupied properties where the landlord does not rent out more than one unit such as an accessory dwelling unit, junior accessory dwelling unit, or single-family home if the owner occupying the property is a natural person (not a corporation) and the tenant was provided with a written notice that the unit is exempt from protections under the ordinance.
• Units that have obtained a certificate of occupancy within the past fifteen years. (Tenants should note that this exemption is applied on a rolling basis.  For example, if the property you live in was built on January 1, 2008, it will become subject to rent control beginning on January 2, 2023.)  Id.

Special rent-cap regulations also apply to certain units located at 435 W. Regent Street and 621 E. 99^th Street until December 31, 2024.   Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-127.  Tenants that live in either of these budlings should contact the City’s Rental Housing Board to determine what the allowable annual rent increase is for their unit. 

Tenants who do not live in a rental unit that falls under the purview of the City’s ordinance may have rights under the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019, which is the State’s rent control and eviction control law.  See below for further information. 

Does my tenancy fall under the State of California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 or the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance?

The rent-ceiling protections under the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (“California Rent Control”) apply to all units in the City of Inglewood that are not covered by the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance and that otherwise meet the requirements of state rent control.  If your Inglewood unit is one of the exempt buildings under the City’s ordinance, please read our guide to determine if your unit is covered by California Rent Control rent caps.

How much can my rent be increased under the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance?

The amount a tenant’s rent can be raised annually depends on how many units are in the building they live in.   Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-127.  For buildings that have four or fewer units, the landlord may raise the rent 5% plus the local Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) percent change or 10%, whichever is lower.  Id.  For buildings that have five or more units, the landlord may raise the rent by 3% or by the percentage change to the CPI, whichever is greater.  Id. 

Special rent-cap regulations also apply to certain units located at 435 W. Regent Street and 621 E. 99^th Street until December 31, 2024.  Id.  Tenants that live in either of the buildings should contact the City’s Rental Housing Board to determine what the allowable annual rent increase is for their unit.  

What types of rent increases require the approval of the Board under the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance?

A landlord or a tenant may file a petition with the Board to request an adjustment of rent, establish exemption to the ordinance, dispute relocation amount, and any other issue regulated by the ordinance.   Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-135. 

Tenants can seek a downward adjustment based on a reduction in housing services, such as failure to repair, and landlords can seek an upward adjustment for capital improvement costs and for a below market rate rent increase.  Id.  

What is a “below market” rental increase under the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance?

A landlord may petition the Board to increase a tenant’s rent beyond the allowable amount if they believe they are charging an existing tenant a rent amount that is less than 80% of the fair market value for the unit.   Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-128.  If the Board approves the landlord’s petition, the tenant’s rent may be increased up to 5%, plus the local CPI percentage change, if the building has five or more units, and up to an additional 2% for buildings that have four or fewer units.  Id.  

A below market rent increase needs to be approved annually and will remain in effect until the rent reaches or exceeds 80% of fair market rents.  Id. 

What is a “capital improvement increase” under the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance?

A landlord may file an application with the Board to increase a tenant’s rent to recover costs for capital improvements that were made on or after December 5, 2019.   Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-129.  The landlord may only file an application with the Board for improvements to a rental unit that cost over $5,000 or for improvements to a rental property that cost over $10,000.  Id.  

The application must be served to the tenant within five days of the filing.  Id.  If the application is approved, the tenant’s rent cannot be increased more than $100 per month, be for longer than seventy-two months, and the owner cannot recover more than 50% of the costs.  Id.  The approved capital improvement rent increase is not applicable to new tenants that moved in after the landlord filed their application with the Board.  Id. 

Under the ordinance, capital improvement is work done to abate hazardous materials such as lead-based pain, mold, or asbestos.   Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-125(a).  Capital improvements are also common area additions or replacements of items that have a useful life of five or more years.  Id.  Examples of capital improvements are additions or replacements of “structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical system, roofing, carpeting, draperies, stuccoing the outside of a building, air conditioning, security gates, swimming pool, sauna or hot tub, fencing, garbage disposal, washing machine or clothes dryer, dishwasher, children’s play equipment permanently installed on the premises, the complete exterior painting of a building, and other similar improvements as determined by the Rental Housing Board.”  Id.  Capital improvements are not routine maintenance or repair.  Id.  

Can a landlord unbundle or increase charges for housing services provided in a tenant’s lease under the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance?

Landlords cannot unbundle or increase fees that are included in a tenant’s rent for housing services such as utilities, parking, storage, pets, or any other charges from a tenant’s rent neither during the term of the tenancy nor when the lease expires and converts to a month-to-month agreement.   Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-127(e)(1)(A).  

Fees for housing services that are separately listed from the rent amount in the lease agreement can be increased when the lease converts to a month-to-month agreement, but the fees will be included in calculating the rent for purposes of annual rent increases, unless it is a housing service that was added after the inception of the tenancy at the request of the tenant.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-127(e)(3) 

Can my landlord increase my rent under the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance if I add a new roommate to my unit?

If a tenant adds a roommate to their unit, the landlord can raise the rent by up to 10% unless the landlord had actual or constructive knowledge of the roommate for sixty days or more and failed to raise the rent.   Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-127(f)(1).  An increase under this section does not apply to the first minor dependent child (or children of a multiple birth) added to the unit.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-127(f)(1)(C).   

Are landlords allowed to “bank” rent increases under the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance?

The ordinance is silent on whether a landlord can “bank” rent increases not taken annually and impose them later.

Can my security deposit be increased under the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance?

Yes.  The ordinance allows a landlord to increase the security deposit at the same time the landlord increases the rent.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-130.  The increase to the security deposit must be clearly stated in the annual rent increase notice.  Id.  The deposit increase cannot be more than a $30 per month increase until the total deposit reaches the maximum amount allowed by state law.  Id.  Under state law, a tenant may not be charged more than two months’ rent for an unfurnished unit and no more than three months’ rent for a fully furnished unit.  Cal., Civ. Code § 1950.5(c)(1). 

What units are protected under the eviction protections under the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

All units have just cause for eviction protections unless they fall under one the below exemptions. 

The following properties are exempt from just-cause eviction protections: 

• Rooms in a motel, hotel, rooming house, or boarding house that have not been occupied by the same tenant for at least 30 consecutive days.
• Units in a nonprofit hospital, religious facility, extended care facility, licensed residential care facility for the elderly, or an adult residential facility that provides 24-hour nonmedical care and supervision. 
• Dormitories owned and operated by a school or an institution of higher education.
• Owner-occupied properties where the landlord does not rent out more than one unit such as an accessory dwelling unit, junior accessory dwelling unit, or single-family home if the owner occupying the property is a natural person (not a corporation) and the tenant was provided with a written notice that the unit is exempt from protections under the ordinance.  
• Properties that have been issued a certificate of occupancy within the last fifteen years.  (Tenants should note that this exemption is applied on a rolling basis.  For example, if the property you live in was built on January 1, 2008, it will become subject to protections under the ordinance on January 2, 2023.)  

 Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-121(b).

Does my tenancy fall under the State of California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 or the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

The just-cause eviction protections under the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (“California Rent Control”) apply to all units in the City of Inglewood that are not covered by the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance and that otherwise meet the requirements of state rent control.  If your Inglewood unit is exempt under the city’s ordinance, please read our guide to determine if your unit is covered by State of California Rent Control for just-cause eviction protections. 

What are the just-cause reasons for eviction under the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

A landlord must have a just-cause reason to terminate a tenancy covered by the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-121.  If a landlord does not have one of the permissible reasons for eviction, they cannot force a tenant out of their home.

The following are the for-fault reasons for eviction:

• Failure to pay rent. 
• Material breach of the lease or rental agreement after being provided a notice to correct the violation. 
• Maintaining, committing, or permitting waste or a nuisance.
• Engaged in criminal activity on the property, or engaged in criminal activity, or criminal threat either on or off the property that is directed at an owner of the property or the owner’s agent.
• Assignment or sublet in violation of the lease or rental agreement. 
• Refusal to give the landlord reasonable access to the unit after written notice to enter to make necessary repairs or improvements, to show the unit to prospective purchasers, or to conduct mandatory inspections allowed by state or local law. 
• Using the unit for an unlawful purpose. 
• A landlord’s employee, agent, or licensee’s failure to vacate after termination as an employee, agent, or licensee.
• Failure of a tenant to move out after the tenant provided a notice to terminate the tenancy or after accepting the landlord’s offer to move out.

The following are the no-fault reasons for eviction: 

• Owner or the owner’s close relative intends to move into the unit. 
• Compliance with a government agency order, court order, or local ordinance that requires the tenant to vacate. 
• Withdrawal from the rental market (Ellis Act). 
• Intent to demolish the rental unit after having received all necessary permits to do so. 

How much notice am I entitled to for an owner or relative move-in eviction under the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

If you have resided in the unit for one or more years, you are entitled to a sixty days’ written notice to vacate.  Cal. Civ. Code § 1946.1.​  If you have resided in the unit for less than a year, you are entitled to a thirty-days’ written notice to vacate.  Id.  

What requirements must be met by the landlord to evict a tenant through an owner or relative move-in under the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

The owner or qualified relative (spouse, domestic partner, child, grandchild, parent, or grandparent) must intend in good faith to move into the unit within sixty days after the tenant vacates, reside in the unit for at least twenty-four consecutive months, and the owner or relative desiring to evict a tenant to move into their unit must not already reside at the property.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code§ 8-121(11)(C).  In addition, a tenant may not be evicted if there is a comparable vacant unit or a comparable unit occupied by a tenant that moved in more recently.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-121(11)(B).

Only one owner or relative move in is allowed in a property.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-121(11)(F).  If a tenant reoccupies the unit or relocates to another unit in the building, they may not again be evicted pursuant to an owner move-in or relative move-in for four years after the date of the first termination of tenancy notice.  Id.

Am I protected from an owner or relative move-in eviction under the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

A tenant who is a senior or a disabled person and has lived in the unit for at least five years is protected from an owner or relative move-in eviction.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-121(a)(11)(A)(ii).  Also, a tenant who is certified by their treating physician as terminally ill is protected, regardless of their length of tenancy.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-121(a)(11)(A)(iii).  But a landlord may terminate a protected tenant if the owner or close relative is also a senior, disabled, or certified as being terminally ill.  Id. 

“Senior” under the ordinance is defined as “a person sixty-two years of age or older.”  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-120(a)(17).

“Disabled person” under the ordinance is defined as “a person who is receiving benefits from a Federal, State, or local government, or from a private entity, on account of a permanent disability.”  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-120(a)(5).

Do I have a right to reoccupy my unit if my landlord re-rents it during the two-year period after I vacate due to an owner or relative move-in eviction under the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

While the ordinance does not address this specific question, it does provide an evicted tenant a right to reoccupy if the owner or their relative fails to move into the unit within the required timeframe.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-121(a)(11)(D).  If the owner or their relative does not move into the unit within sixty days after the tenant vacates, the unit must be offered back to the tenant at the same rent in effect at the time they vacated and must pay the tenant their reasonable moving costs both from and back to the unit.  Id.  If the tenant does not want to move back in, the base rent for a new tenant will be the rent in effect at the time the evicted tenant vacated.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-121(a)(11)(E).

How much notice am I entitled to for an Ellis Act eviction under the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

Tenants are entitled to a 120-days’ advanced written notice unless they are a tenant who meets the criteria for a longer notice period.  Cal. Gov. Code § 7060.4(b); Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-121(a)(13).

Am I protected from an Ellis Act eviction under the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

Generally, tenants are not protected from an Ellis Act eviction, but a tenant may be entitled to a longer notice period. Cal. Gov. Code § 7060.4.  If you are at least 62 years old or are disabled as defined by Cal. Gov. Code § 12955.3 and have resided in your rental unit for at least one year you may be entitled to a one-year extension.  Id.  

The ordinance is silent on how and when the tenant must request this extension from their landlord. Tenants should contact the Board or speak with a tenant attorney about their rights if they have received an Ellis Act eviction notice and believe they qualify for an extension. 

If I am evicted through an Ellis Act eviction and my landlord intends to re-rent my unit, do I have a right to reoccupy it under the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

While Cal. Gov. Code § 7060.2 authorizes a city to enact laws that regulate re-rental and re-occupancy by a tenant of a property that was withdrawn from the rental market, the City of Inglewood’s ordinance is silent on this issue.  Tenants should contact a tenant lawyer to discuss their options if they were evicted through an Ellis Act eviction and their unit has been offered for re-rental.  

How much are the temporary relocation benefits for no-fault evictions under the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

Tenants who must temporarily vacate due to a government agency’s order or due to health or safety conditions are entitled to temporary relocation assistance.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-123.  The Board determines the temporary relocation amount, which is a per diem rate.  Id.  Because the temporary relocation benefit amounts are not published by the Board, tenants qualifying for this payment should contact the Board to determine how much relocation assistance they are entitled to. 

How much are the permanent relocation benefits for no-fault evictions under the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

Tenants that are evicted through a no-fault reason such as an owner or relative move-in, Ellis Act, demolition, or government agency order are entitled to permanent relocation benefits.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code§ 8-123.

Tenants are entitled to a base relocation amount of three times their monthly rent in effect at the time they received the eviction notice.  Id.  If at least one minor resides in the unit, the base amount is increased by $2,000.  Id.  

In addition to the base relocation amount, some tenants may also qualify for additional relocation assistance if they have lived at the property for two or more years.  Id.   

Additional Relocation Assistance Qualification:

Years resided in the unit	Additional relocation assistance
Adult tenant that has resided in unit for 2 to 4 years prior to notice	$2,000
Adult tenant that has resided in unit for 5 to 10 years prior to notice	$3,000
Adult tenant that has resided in unit for 11 or more years prior to notice	$5,000
Disabled person or senior	$7,500

If there are multiple long-term adult tenants in a unit, the landlord need only pay the additional relocation assistance amount for the one adult tenant that has resided in the unit the longest.  Id.  The qualifying tenant shall provide proof of eligibility for the highest applicable additional relocation assistance status to the landlord within ten days of receiving the initial relocation notice. Id.  

When must relocation payments be made under the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

Relocation is paid per household, not per tenant, and must be paid within fifteen calendar days of the service of the notice to terminate the tenancy.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-123.  Tenants that would like a division of the payment can provide a written notice signed by all tenants to the landlord on how they would like the relocation assistance to be divided.  Id.  The written notice must be provided to the landlord within ten calendar days of the tenant receiving the relocation notice.  Id. 

Can a tenant dispute the relocation amount under the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

If there is a dispute over the relocation amount, either the landlord or the tenant may file a petition with the Board.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-123.

What is a buyout agreement under the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

A buyout agreement is a written agreement where a landlord and a tenant agree for the landlord to pay the tenant money to voluntarily move out of their rent-controlled unit.  

What requirements must be followed for a landlord to offer a tenant a buyout under the City of Inglewood Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance?

Before a landlord may make a buyout offer to a tenant, the landlord must provide a written disclosure to the tenant of their rights under the ordinance.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-123.1.  These rights include the following:

• The right not to enter into the buyout agreement.
• The right to consult an attorney.
• The right to revise the buyout agreement before signing it.
• The right to consult the program administrator regarding the buyout agreement. 
• The right to rescind the buyout agreement any time up to thirty calendar days after the tenant has signed the buyout agreement.

Within three calendar days of the parties signing a buyout agreement, it must be filed with the Housing Protection Department and a signed copy must be provided to the tenant.  Id.   A buyout agreement cannot be for less than what the tenant would be entitled to in permanent relocation assistance under the ordinance.  Id.  Any agreement that does not comply with the ordinance is not effective and may be rescinded at any time by the tenant with a written notice to the landlord.  Id.  The tenant must also file the rescission with the Department within three calendar days.  Id. 

Am I protected from harassment by my landlord under the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance?

Tenants that are covered under the rent-control or the just cause eviction protections of the ordinances are also protected from harassment by their landlord.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-133. 

What types of activities are considered harassment and prohibited under the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance?

Landlords may not do any of the following in bad faith: 

• Interrupt, terminate, or fail to provide housing services required by the tenant’s lease or the law. 
• Fail to perform repairs and maintenance required by the lease or the law. 
• Fail to exercise due diligence in completing repairs and maintenance once undertaken.
• Abuse the right to enter the unit.  
• Abuse a tenant with words which are offensive and inherently likely to provoke an immediate violent reaction.
• Influence or attempt to influence a tenant to vacate a rental unit through fraud, intimidation, or coercion.
• Threaten a tenant with physical harm.
• Discriminate based on race, gender, sexual preference, sexual orientation, ethnic background, nationality, religion, age, parenthood, marriage, pregnancy, disability, AIDS, occupancy by a minor child, or any other legally protected class.
• Take action to terminate any tenancy based upon facts which the owner has no reasonable cause to believe to be true or upon a legal theory which is untenable under the facts known to the owner. 
• Interfere with a tenant’s right to quiet use and enjoyment of the unit. 
• Refuse to acknowledge receipt of a tenant’s lawful rent payment.
• Interfere with a tenant’s right to privacy, including, but not limited to, entering or photographing portions of a rental unit that are beyond the scope of a lawful entry or inspection.  

Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-133(b). 

Am I protected from landlord retaliation under City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations Ordinance?

A landlord may not attempt to evict or threaten to evict, cause a tenant to involuntarily move out, serve a notice to terminate tenancy, decrease housing serves, or increase a tenant’s rent if the owner’s intent is to retaliate against a tenant for exercising or asserting rights under the city’s ordinances, under state or federal law, or for a tenant’s participation in arbitration, mediation, or litigation related to their tenancy.   Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-133(a).  

Can I sue my landlord for violating the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations or Just Cause for Eviction Protections Ordinances?

Yes. Tenants may sue their landlord for any violation of the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations and Just Cause for Eviction Protections Ordinances.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-132.  A landlord found to have violated the law is liable to the tenant for actual and punitive damages and must pay for the tenant’s reasonable attorney fees and costs as determined by the court.  Id.  If the landlord acted willfully or with oppression, fraud, or malice, the tenant’s damages will be tripled.  Id.  

What other penalties may a landlord who violates the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations and Just Cause for Eviction Protections Ordinances be subjected to?

Any violation of the City of Inglewood Residential Rent Regulations and Just Cause for Eviction Protections Ordinances is a misdemeanor, and the City may pursue civil or criminal enforcement action against the landlord.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-124;  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-134.  

Tenants have an affirmative defense to an unlawful detainer, or any other action brought by an owner to recover possession of the rental unit if the landlord failed to comply with any requirement under the ordinance.  Inglewood, Cal., Mun. Code § 8-131. 

Tenants should call Tobener Ravenscroft LLP at (415) 504-2165 to speak with a tenant attorney if they believe their landlord has violated the City of Inglewood rent control laws or eviction laws.