The Pasadena Fair and Equitable Housing Charter Amendment (“Pasadena Rent Ordinance”), codified at Article XVIII of the Pasadena City Charter has three principal components, eviction control, rent control, and a buyout notification program. The Pasadena Rent Ordinance’s eviction controls require a landlord to have just cause for eviction when evicting a tenant in a covered unit. The Pasadena Rent Ordinance’s rent control component limits annual rent increases to an amount set by the Pasadena Rental Board published annually. Pasadena tenants who suffer a deprivation of any right afforded by the Pasadena Rent Ordinance have actionable claims against their landlords for monetary damages.

To learn more about the Richmond Rent Ordinance, continue reading or Contact Astanehe Law to discuss your rights and options with a tenant attorney.

Pasadena Rent Control

The Pasadena Rent Ordinance’s rent control protections (“Pasadena Rent Control”) keep Pasadena tenants housed by limiting rent increases to reasonable amounts. For units protected by Pasadena Rent Control, the landlord may not increase the rent in an amount greater than an amount set by the Pasadena Rental Board no later than September 1st each year. Alternatively, California Rent Control may protect Pasadena tenants not covered by Pasadena Rent Control or the Pasadena Rent Ordinance. Click here to learn about the tenant rights provided by California Rent Control (AB 1482).

Is My Pasadena Rental Unit Covered Under Pasadena Rent Control?

Only controlled rental units are subject to Pasadena Rent Control. Controlled rental units are all residential rental units, including unlawful rental units, and related housing services in the City of Pasadena, except:

• Pasadena rental units in hotels, motels, inns, tourist homes, lodging and rooming houses, and boarding houses, where the occupant has not established residence exceeding thirty (30) days;
• Pasadena rental units in a hospital, convent, monastery, extended medical care facility, asylum, non-profit home for the aged, dorm owned and operated by a post-high school institution, or rental units in a facility with a primary purpose of operating a treatment or recovery program, where the unit is incidental to the client’s participation in the program and where the entity provides the client with written notice of the temporary or transitional nature of the housing at inception;
• Pasadena rental units owned or operated or managed by a non-profit organization pursuant to a tax credit program;
• Pasadena rental units which a government unit, agency, or authority owns, operates, or manages, or in which government subsidized tenants reside;
• Pasadena rental units exempted under the Costa Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which are any single-family homes and condominium units and any Pasadena rental unit built after February 1, 1995;
• Pasadena rental units that are a part of the Pasadena Inclusionary Housing program or the Pasadena Density Bonus, Waivers, and Incentives program;
• Pasadena rental units where the landlord-homeowner lives with the Pasadena tenant in a single-family home, provided the landlord serves, at the tenancy’s inception, the length of the tenancy, and a statement that the tenancy may be terminated, and relocation is not required.The temporary tenancy may not exceed twelve (12) months;
• Pasadena rental units where the tenant shares a bathroom or kitchen with the landlord-homeowner, provided the landlord-homeowner resides in the home as their primary residence.Pasadena City Charter §§ 1803(x), 1804, 1805.

Under Pasadena Rent Control, How Much Can a Landlord Increase the Rent?

Each year on or before September 1st, the Pasadena Rental Board announces the permissible annual general adjustment. Pasadena City Charter § 1808. The annual general adjustment becomes effective on October 1st.

The annual general adjustment shall be equal to seventy-five percent (75%) of the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for the Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County region. Where the change is negative, the annual general adjustment shall be zero percent (0%).

How Many Days’ Notice Must Pasadena Landlords Provide Pasadena Tenants When Increasing the Rent?

Under Pasadena Rent Control, Pasadena tenants are entitled to thirty (30) days’ advanced written notice of a rent increase. Pasadena City Charter § 1808(c). Where the landlord fails to comply with this requirement, the rent increase notice and corresponding rent increase are ineffective.

What Information Must Landlords Include on Rent Increase Notices Served on Pasadena Tenants Covered by Pasadena Rent Control?

Under Pasadena Rent Control, Written notices increasing rent must include the following information:

• Notice of the existence of the Pasadena Rent Ordinance and Pasadena Rent Control;
• Notice informing the Pasadena tenant of their right to petition any allegedly excessive rent increase, except where the rent increase is under a petition for rent increase already granted by the Pasadena Rental Board; or,
• Notice that no rent increase shall take effect until the landlord complies with all requirements mandated by Pasadena Rent Control.Pasadena City Charter § 1808(d).

When is a Landlord Prohibited from Increasing a Pasadena Tenant’s Rent?

The landlord may not increase a Pasadena tenant’s rent when:

• The landlord fails to substantially comply with the Pasadena Rent Ordinance, and any regulations promulgated by the Pasadena Rental Board;
• The landlord fails to maintain the Pasadena tenant’s home in a habitable condition; or,
• The landlord fails to make repairs ordered by a Pasadena Rental Board hearing officer, the Pasadena Rental Board, or the City of Pasadena.Pasadena City Charter § 1808(e).

How Many Rent Increases Can Pasadena Landlords Impose on Pasadena Tenants Each Year?

Under Pasadena Rent Control, landlords may only impose one (1) rent increase per twelve (12) months on Pasadena tenants. Pasadena City Charter § 1808(b).

Does Pasadena Rent Control Permit Rent Increase Deferment or Banking?

Pasadena landlords must increase the rent according to the annual general adjustment within twelve (12) months of the Pasadena Rental Board’s announcement. Where the landlord fails to implement a rent increase pursuant to Pasadena Rent Control during the twelve (12) month period, they will not be able to defer or bank the rent increase and impose it in a later year.

The Pasadena Rent Ordinance’s Eviction Protections

The Pasadena Rent Ordinance’s eviction protections keep Pasadena tenants housed by limiting evictions. Under the Pasadena Rent Ordinance, a landlord may only evict a tenant with just cause for eviction. Just cause for eviction means that the landlord can only terminate a tenancy for reasons listed in the Pasadena Rent Ordinance. When terminating a tenancy, the landlord must inform the tenant, in writing, which just cause reason they are asserting. A termination of tenancy that does not comply with the Pasadena Rent Ordinance’s just cause for eviction protections is unlawful and void.

Under the Pasadena Rent Ordinance, What Are the Just Cause Reasons a Landlord Can Terminate a Tenancy?

The Pasadena Rent Ordinance contains eleven (11) just cause reasons to terminate a tenancy. The just cause reasons are:

1. Failure to pay rent after the Pasadena tenant receives written notice to pay rent or quit;
2. A substantial breach of the lease after the Pasadena tenant receives written notice to cease;
3. The Pasadena tenant continues, after the landlord serves a notice to cease, to commit or permit a nuisance or substantial damage to the rental unit or common areas, or unreasonably interferes with the comfort, safety, or quiet enjoyment of any of the other residents or immediately adjacent neighbors;
4. The Pasadena tenant uses the unit for an illegal purpose;
5. Refusing to enter into a new lease that is for a further term of like duration and contains materially similar terms as the previous written lease;
6. Failing to provide access to the rental unit after receiving a notice to enter;
7. The remaining occupant(s) is a/are unapproved subtenant(s);
8. Temporary displacement to allow necessary and substantial repairs, where the landlord obtains all necessary permits and serves a notice of termination, the City of Pasadena confirms that the work is necessary and will render the unit uninhabitable for at least thirty (30) days; and, the landlord gives notice of the Pasadena tenant’s right to choose one or both of the following:
   1. The right to lease any vacant rental unit with comparable or superior living conditions and convenience owned by the landlord at the same or lower rent; and,/or
   2. The right to return to reoccupy the unit upon completion of the repairs at the same rate.
9. The landlord intends to perform, in good faith, an owner move-in eviction or relative move-in eviction;
10. Ellis Act eviction; and,
11. The landlord seeks in good faith to recover possession of the rental unit to comply with a government order to vacate, order to comply, order to abate, or any other order necessitating the Pasadena tenant vacate the building due to a code violation.Pasadena City Charter § 1806(a).

What Information Are Pasadena Tenants Entitled on a Written Notice to Cease?

Under the Pasadena Rent Ordinance, written notices to cease must include the following information:

• Provide the Pasadena tenant a reasonable period to cure the alleged violation;
• Inform the Pasadena tenant that failure to cure may result in an eviction action;
• Inform the Pasadena tenant of the right to request reasonable accommodation;
• Inform the Pasadena tenant of the contact number for the Pasadena Rental Board;
• Include a specific statement of the reasons for the written notice to cease with specific facts to permit a determination of the date, place, witnesses, and circumstances concerning the reason for the eviction action; and,
• Where a breach of the lease is alleged, inform the Pasadena tenant what provision the landlord contends they have breached and what the Pasadena tenant must do to cure the alleged breach.Pasadena City Charter § 1703(cc).

Is My Unit Covered Under the Pasadena Rent Ordinance’s Eviction Protections?

Nearly every unit within the City of Pasadena is protected by the Pasadena Rent Ordinance’s eviction protections. Further, eviction protections extend to any, “building, structure, or part thereof, or land appurtenant thereto, or any other rental property rented or offered for rent for residential purposes…together with all Housing Services…common areas and recreational facilities…,” and includes unlawful units. Pasadena City Charter § 1803(x). However, the following rental units are not covered under the Pasadena Rent Ordinance’s eviction protection provisions:

• Pasadena rental units in hotels, motels, inns, tourist homes, lodging and rooming houses, and boarding houses, where the occupant has not established residence exceeding thirty (30) days;
• Pasadena rental units in a hospital, convent, monastery, extended medical care facility, asylum, non-profit home for the aged, dorm owned and operated by a post-high school institution, or rental units in a facility with a primary purpose of operating a treatment or recovery program, where the unit is incidental to the client’s participation in the program and where the entity provides the client with written notice of the temporary or transitional nature of the housing at inception;
• Pasadena rental units owned or operated or managed by a non-profit organization pursuant to a tax credit program;
• Pasadena rental units which a government unit, agency, or authority owns, operates, or manages, or in which government subsidized tenants reside;
• Pasadena rental units where the landlord-homeowner lives with the Pasadena tenant in a single-family home, provided the landlord serves, at the tenancy’s inception, the length of the tenancy, and a statement that the tenancy may be terminated, and relocation is not required. The temporary tenancy may not exceed twelve (12) months; and,
• Pasadena rental units where the tenant shares a bathroom or kitchen with the landlord-homeowner, provided the landlord-homeowner resides in the home as their primary residence. Pasadena City Charter §§ 1804, 1805.

What Documents Must My Landlord Provide to Terminate My Tenancy?

Under state law and the Pasadena Rent Ordinance, a landlord may only terminate a tenancy by serving the tenant with written notice. For tenants who have resided in their home for less than a year, the landlord need only provide thirty (30) days written notice. California Civil Code § 1946. For tenants who have resided in their home for a year or more, the landlord must provide sixty (60) days written notice. However, where the tenant is at fault, for example by committing nuisance, not paying rent, or remaining in breach of the lease, the landlord need only provide a three-day notice to cure or quit. California Code of Civil Procedure § 1161. If, at the expiration of the three-day notice, the landlord believes the tenant has not cured the defect, the landlord may initiate an unlawful detainer or eviction action in court.

The landlord must also state the just cause reason for the termination on the termination of tenancy notice. Pasadena City Charter §§ 1806(a), (i). Also, generally the written termination of tenancy notice must minimally include:

• The unit address;
• All Pasadena tenant’s names;
• 3/30/60/120/365-day notice period;
• For Pasadena demolition, and temporary evictions for substantial repairs, all demolition permits;
• For Pasadena owner move-in evictions, the name and address of the owner who will occupy the unit;
• For Pasadena relative move-in evictions, the qualified relative’s name, address, and relationship to the landlord; and,
• For Pasadena owner move-in evictions and relative move-in evictions, a notice of Pasadena tenant right’s afforded under the Pasadena Rent Ordinance’s owner move-in eviction and relative move-in eviction provisions.

The landlord must also file a copy of the notice of termination of tenancy with the Pasadena Rental Board within three (3) days after serving the notice on the Pasadena tenant. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(k).

Ellis Act Evictions Under the Pasadena Rent Ordinance

Under the Pasadena Rent Ordinance, Pasadena landlords may evict all tenants from a rental property and remove the property from the residential rental housing market. Pasadena City Charter § 1806. Despite being a lawful just cause for eviction, the landlord must follow strict rules following the Ellis Act eviction. Their failure to comply with the Pasadena Rent Ordinance after effectuating Ellis Act evictions results in all displaced tenants having a claim for wrongful eviction in violation of the Pasadena Rent Ordinance.

What is an Ellis Act Eviction?

California law allows landlords to remove a residential rental property from the housing market permanently. California Government Code § 7060, et seq. The Ellis Act permits landlords to simultaneously evict all tenants from the property to remove the property from the rental market. The Ellis Act is generally used to change the building’s use into condominiums, tenancies in common for personal use, or the landlord’s personal use.

What Requirements Must Pasadena Landlords Meet to Invoke the Ellis Act to Evict Their Pasadena Tenants?

In addition to allowing the landlord to evict all tenants from the building, the Ellis Act mandates several restrictions. First, if the landlord must file documents with the Pasadena Rental Board before invoking the Ellis Act. Should the landlord fail to comply with this requirement, the Ellis Act is invalid, and the Pasadena tenants need not move from their homes. Second, the landlord must serve all tenants in the building with written notice regarding the Ellis Act eviction. The notice must provide the tenants at least one-hundred-and-eighty (180) days’ notice. Where the Pasadena tenant is a senior or disabled, the landlord must provide them at least one (1) year notice. Third, the notice of termination pursuant to the landlord invoking the Ellis Act must notify the Pasadena tenants of their right to relocation assistance.

How Much Notice Must Landlords Provide Pasadena Tenants When Invoking the Ellis Act?

Pasadena landlords must serve all tenants in the building with written notice regarding the Ellis Act eviction. The notice must provide the tenants with at least one-hundred-and-eighty (180) days’ notice. Where the Pasadena tenant is a senior or disabled, the landlord must provide them at least one (1) year notice.

Owner Move-In Evictions Under the Pasadena Rent Ordinance

Under the Pasadena Rent Ordinance, landlords are permitted to terminate a tenancy to perform an owner move-in eviction or relative move-in eviction, which requires the owner or relative to reside in the unit as their primary residence. Despite being a lawful just cause for eviction, the owner, or their qualified relative, must follow strict rules following the eviction. An owner’s failure to comply with the Pasadena Rent Ordinance following the owner effectuating an owner or relative move-in eviction results in the displaced Pasadena tenant possessing a wrongful eviction claim entitling them to monetary damages.

Owner Move-In Defined

An owner move-in eviction occurs when the landlord seeks to recover possession in good faith for use and occupancy as a primary residence by the landlord, or the landlord’s spouse, domestic partner, children, grandchildren, parents, or grandparents. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(9).

To perform an owner move-in, the owner must be a natural person that maintains at least fifty percent (50%) ownership in the property. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(9)(A).

An owner or qualified relative may not perform an owner move-in eviction if they already occupy a unit at the property, or another vacancy exists on the property. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(9)(B). Where a comparable unit becomes vacant at the property, the landlord must rescind the notice to vacate and dismiss any action filed to recover possession of the Pasadena tenant’s home.

Which Pasadena Tenants are Protected from an Owner Move-In Eviction?

A landlord may not perform an owner move-in eviction or relative move-in on the following Pasadena tenants:

• A Pasadena tenant that has resided in their unit for at least five (5) years and is either:
  • At least sixty (60) years or older;
  • Disabled; or,
  • Is certified as terminally ill by the Pasadena tenant’s treating physician.Pasadena City Charter § 1806(9)(F).

However, the landlord may evict a Pasadena tenant who qualifies for one of the above-mentioned exemptions if the landlord or qualified relative also meets one of the exemption criteria and no other available units exist at the property.

How Many Days’ Notice Must Pasadena Landlords Provide Tenants When Serving a Termination of Tenancy Notice Based on an Owner Move-In Eviction or Relative Move-In Eviction?

When serving a termination of tenancy notice based on an owner move-in eviction or relative move-in eviction, Pasadena landlords must provide Pasadena tenants with six (6) months’ written notice. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(9).

What Must a Pasadena Landlord Include on an Owner Move-In Eviction Notice?

As stated above, a landlord must serve a written notice terminating the tenancy, which includes the owner move-in as the just cause for the eviction. Additionally, the termination of tenancy notice must include the name, address, and relationship to the landlord of the person intended to occupy the rental unit. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(C). Further, the notice must include a statement regarding the Pasadena tenant’s rights under the Pasadena Rent Ordinance.

Following an Owner Move-In Eviction or Relative Move-In Eviction, How Long May the Landlord Keep the Unit Vacant?

Under the Pasadena Rent Ordinance, the owner or qualified relative must move into the unit within sixty (60) days after the Pasadena tenant’s displacement. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(D).

Follow and Owner Move-In Eviction or Relative Move-In Eviction, How Long Must the Owner or Qualified Relative Occupy the Unit?

Following an owner move-in eviction or relative move-in eviction, the owner or qualified relative must occupy the rental unit as their primary residence for at least thirty-six (36) consecutive months in good faith. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(D).

What Happens if the Owner or Qualified Relative Fails to Move into the Unit Following the Pasadena Tenant’s Displacement?

If the owner or qualified relative does not move into the unit within sixty (60) days of the Pasadena tenant’s displacement or fails to remain in the unit for thirty-six (36) consecutive months, the owner shall offer the unit back to the Pasadena tenant, with the same rent in effect at the time of displacement, and pay the Pasadena tenant’s reasonable expenses incurred in moving to and from the rental unit. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(e).

The Pasadena Rent Ordinance’s Tenant Buyout Notification Program

The Pasadena Rent Ordinance contains a Tenant Buyout Notification Program, which provides for regulation, monitoring, and enforcement of Pasadena tenant buyouts. Pasadena City Charter § 1810. Essentially, the Pasadena Tenant Buyout Notification Program requires landlords notify Pasadena tenants of their rights before executing any buyout agreement.

What is a Pasadena Buyout Agreement?

A buyout agreement is not an eviction or a termination of tenancy. Rather, a buyout agreement is a contract. In exchange for a tenant voluntarily agreeing to vacate their home, the landlord agrees to pay a monetary payment. Buyouts are always optional and, to the extent not prohibited by law, the terms are negotiable. This means the vacate date, payment, and other terms of the agreement are completely negotiable. Pasadena tenants are free to refuse to enter buyout negotiations, negotiate the agreement themselves, or retain an attorney to try and reach a deal. Although buyout agreements are negotiable contracts, the Pasadena Buyout Ordinance protects Pasadena tenants by regulating certain aspects of the buyout negotiation and agreement process.

What Requirements Must Pasadena Buyout Agreements Satisfy?

Under the Pasadena Rent Ordinance, Pasadena Tenant Buyout Notification Program must advise Pasadena tenants that they have the right:

• Not to enter into a Pasadena buyout agreement;
• To consult an attorney and/or the Pasadena Rental Board before signing the Pasadena Buyout Agreement;
• To cancel the Pasadena Buyout Agreement at any time up to forty-five (45) days after all parties have signed it.Pasadena City Charter § 1810(c).

Additionally, the Pasadena tenant and the landlord must sign and date every Pasadena buyout agreement. Pasadena City Charter § 1810(c). Finally, the landlord must provide the Pasadena tenant with a copy of the final, signed buyout agreement.

Do Pasadena Tenants Have the Right to Cancel a Final, Signed Pasadena Buyout Agreement?

Yes, Pasadena tenants have forty-five (45) days after the date of the final signature to cancel a Pasadena buyout agreement for any reason without any fee or penalty. Pasadena City Charger § 1810(d). Further, when a landlord fails to comply with the Pasadena Tenant Buyout Notification Program or any related Pasadena Rental Board regulations, the Pasadena tenant has the right to cancel the Pasadena Buyout Agreement through the expiration of the statute of limitations period.

What Documents Must Landlords File with the Pasadena Rental Board?

Under the Pasadena Tenant Buyout Notification Program, Pasadena landlords must file copies of the notice of Pasadena tenant rights under the Program, and the buyout agreement within sixty (60) days of the completion of the final, signed written buyout agreement. Pasadena City Charter § 1810€.

What Damages May Pasadena Tenants Recover Under the Pasadena Tenant Buyout Notification Program?

The Pasadena Tenant Buyout Notification Program contains a private right of action empowering Pasadena tenants to sue their landlords for violations of the Program. Pasadena City Charger § 1810(g). Pasadena tenants may recover their damages and a $1,000 penalty.

Relocation Assistance Under the Pasadena Rent Ordinance

What Amount of Relocation Payments are Pasadena Tenants Entitled for Ellis Act Evictions, Owner Move-In Evictions, Relative Move-In Evictions, Necessary & Substantial Repairs Requiring Temporary Vacation Evictions, and Government Orders to Vacate?

The Pasadena Rent Ordinance provides relocation payments to Pasadena tenants displaced following their landlord invoking the Ellis Act, causing displacement due to Owner Move-In Evictions, Relative Move-In Evictions, Necessary & Substantial Repairs Requiring Temporary Vacation Evictions, and Government Orders to Vacate.

The Pasadena Rent Ordinance requires landlords to provide a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of the required relocation assistance within ten (10) days of service of any termination of tenancy notice based on the above just causes. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(b). The landlord may pay the remaining relocation assistance to an escrow account no later than twenty-eight (28) days before the Pasadena tenant is required to vacate their home. Once the tenant vacates their home, the landlord must remit the relocation assistance to them.

Further, the landlord must notify the Pasadena tenants of their rights under this subsection when serving the notice of termination of tenancy. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(b).

What Notices Does the Pasadena Rent Ordinance Require Pasadena Landlords Serve Pasadena Tenants at Their Tenancy’s Inception?

At or before the inception of a Pasadena tenant’s tenancy, the landlord must serve the following notices:

• A written notice prepared by the Pasadena Rental Board containing notice of Pasadena Rent Ordinance, the Pasadena tenant’s right to petition against some rent increases, and instructions for accessing and a description of the Pasadena Rental Registry.Pasadena City Charter § 1807.

What Public Notices Does the Pasadena Rent Ordinance Require Pasadena Landlords Post at the Property?

The Pasadena Rent Ordinance requires Pasadena landlords to post a notice published by the Pasadena Rental Board informing Pasadena Tenants of the Pasadena Rent Ordinance. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(e). The Pasadena landlord must post the notice in a conspicuous location in the property lobby, near a mailbox used by all of the tenants, or in or near a public entrance. The notice must be in English and Spanish.

How Does the Pasadena Rent Ordinance Regulate Security Deposits?

The Pasadena Rent Ordinance regulates security deposits as follows:

• The Pasadena Rent Ordinance prohibits landlords from increasing a security deposit during a tenancy as a condition of remaining in the unit;
• The Pasadena Rent Ordinance requires landlords to pay interest, as set by the Pasadena Rental Board, annually on all security deposits held for at least one (1) year. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(f).

Does the Pasadena Rent Ordinance Bar Retaliation?

Yes, the Pasadena Rent Ordinance prohibits retaliation against any Pasadena tenant who has previously reported a landlord’s violation or exercised any right afforded by the Pasadena Rent Ordinance, including the right to form or join a tenant organization or complain about habitability defects. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(g). No landlord may threaten to bring, or bring, an action to recover possession, force a Pasadena tenant from their home, serve a written notice to cease or notice of termination of tenancy, decrease any service, interfere with a tenant’s quiet enjoyment, or increase rent where the landlord’s dominant motive is retaliatory. Retaliation is also a defense in an eviction lawsuit against a Pasadena tenant.

Does the Pasadena Rent Ordinance Bar Harassment?

Yes, the Pasadena Rent Ordinance prohibits harassment against any Pasadena tenant, including by threatening to bring, or bringing, an action to recover possession, cause the Pasadena tenant to vacate involuntarily, serve a written notice to cease or notice of termination of tenancy, unilaterally change the terms of the lease, decrease any service, refuse to accept or acknowledge receipt of a Pasadena tenant’s lawful rent, or interfere with the Pasadena tenant’s quiet enjoyment, or unlawfully increase the Pasadena tenant’s rent. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(h). Pasadena landlord harassment is also a defense in an eviction lawsuit against a Pasadena tenant.

May Pasadena Tenants Waive Provisions of the Pasadena Rent Ordinance?

No, any waiver of the Pasadena Rent Ordinance is against public policy and void. Pasadena City Charter § 1806.

What Damages May Pasadena Tenants Recover for Landlord Violations of the Pasadena Rent Ordinance?

The Pasadena Rent Ordinance contains a private right of action for landlord violations.

Any landlord who demands, accepts, receives, or retains unlawful rent is liable to the Pasadena tenant for return of rent. Further, the landlord is liable for the Pasadena tenant’s attorney fees, actual damages, and actual damages where the landlord violates any provision of the Pasadena Rent Ordinance. Finally, where the landlord acts with oppression, fraud, or malice, the Pasadena Rent Ordinance triples the Pasadena tenant’s damages.

Alternatively, Pasadena tenants may file a petition with the Pasadena Rental Board where the landlord unlawfully increases the Pasadena tenant’s rent. Pasadena City Charter § 1813. Additionally, Pasadena tenants may file a petition with the Pasadena Rental Board to reduce their rent when outstanding habitability defects exist at the property, or there is a decrease in housing services or maintenance.

Please note that violating the Pasadena Rent Ordinance is a crime, and any landlord that violates the Pasadena Rent Ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Pasadena City Charter § 1806(h).

To discuss the Pasadena Rent Ordinance, Pasadena Ellis Act Evictions, Pasadena Owner Move-In Evictions & Relative Move-In Evictions, Pasadena Buyouts, Pasadena Rent Control, Pasadena Wrongful Eviction, or California Rent Control (AB 1482) with an attorney, contact Astanehe Law.

Last updated: December 26, 2022

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