Tenants in California have protections from eviction under state and federal law, as well as under local laws in some cities and counties. The website Housingiskey.com provides information to tenant and landlords about protections under a new state law called the Tenant, Homeowner, and Small Landlord Relief and Stabilization Act of 2020 (as known as AB 3088), which took effect on August 31, 2020. 

This law protects tenants with a COVID-related financial impact from eviction for nonpayment of rent. It also protects tenants from “no cause” evictions, meaning an eviction where the landlord does not state a reason. However, depending on a tenant’s specific circumstances and where they live, they may have other protections from eviction that apply to them.

If a tenant receives an eviction notice from their landlord, they should speak with a lawyer as quickly as possible to find out what rules apply to their specific situation. 

The State has released a new training and toolkit, called New State Eviction Protections Training for Community Partners, as part of the Housing is Key campaign to help community partners support Californian tenants facing eviction during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For additional information about tenant and landlord matters, please see the recently revised publication, California Tenants – A Guide To Residential Tenants’ and Landlords’ Rights and Responsibilities, or email Landlord-tenant@dre.ca.gov.

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