If you’re a Los Angeles property owner seeking to evict or temporarily displace a tenant, you may be required to provide relocation assistance to the tenant in accordance with Los Angeles’ Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO). This article summaries the properties falling within the RSO, and the circumstances under which relocation assistance is required.
What Units are Covered by the RSO?
Generally, the RSO applies to rental properties first built on or before October 1, 1978, if they are any of the following:
What Types of Evictions Require Relocation Assistance under the RSO?
Under the RSO a landlord is only required to pay monetary relocation assistance payments to tenants being evicted through no fault of their own. Without a RSO cause, a tenancy may not be terminated. There are several no-fault reasons under the RSO in which a landlord can legally evict a tenant. For each reason, landlords must file a landlord declaration application with the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) before issuing a notice to move-out. The following eviction reasons require the payment of relocation assistance:
Relocation Assistance Amount
The amount of relocation fees owed to the tenants by the landlord depends on whether the tenant is an eligible or qualified tenant, the length of tenancy, and the tenant’s income. Relocation Assistance is paid per unit, not per tenant. The amounts range from $9,200 to $23,000.
When Must Landlords Provide Payment?
The Ordinance requires timely relocation assistance payments to be made available to the tenant within fifteen days of service of the written notice of eviction. He landlord may elect to pay the monetary relocation benefits through an escrow account.
Tenant Remedies for Violation of the RSO’s Relocation Assistance Provisions
In an action by the landlord to recover possession of a rental unit, the tenant may raise as an affirmative defense the failure of the landlord to provide relocation assistance. The tenant may also file a Complaint with the LAHD for illegal eviction when the landlord has not provided relocation assistance.
Please contact Lynx Legal Services with any questions regarding the above, or if you are ready to start a case. We can be reached at 925-237-9216, or online at info@lynxlegal.com. You can also schedule a telephonic consultation with one of our representatives by clicking “Schedule a Consultation” on our website.
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