Los Angeles City Housing Law:
ELEVEN LEGAL REASONS FOR EVICTIONS

A landlord may bring an action to recover possession of a rental unit only upon one of the following reasons:

  1. The tenant has failed to pay the rent to which the landlord is entitled.

  2. The tenant has violated a lawful obligation or covenant of the tenancy, other than the obligation to surrender possession upon proper notice, and has failed to cure such violation after having received written notice thereof from the landlord..

  3. The tenant is committing or permitting to exist a nuisance in or is causing damage to the rental unit or to the appurtenances thereof, or to the common areas of the complex containing the rental unit, or is creating an unreasonable interference with the comfort, safety, or enjoyment of any of the other residents of the same or adjacent buildings.

  4. The tenant is using or permitting a rental unit to be used for any illegal purpose.

  5. The tenant, who had a written lease or rental agreement which terminated on or after the effective date of this chapter, has refused, after a written request or demand by the landlord to execute a written extension or renewal thereof for a further term of like duration with similar provisions and in such terms as are not inconsistent with or violate of any provision of this Chapter or any other provision of law.

  6. The tenant has refused the landlord reasonable access to the unit for the purpose of making repairs or improvements, or for the purpose of inspection as permitted or required by the lease or by law, or for the purpose of showing the rental unit to a prospective purchaser or mortgagee.

  7. The person in possession of the rental unit at the end of a lease term is a subtenant not approved by the landlord.

  8. The landlord seeks in good faith to recover possession of the rental unit for the use and occupancy by the landlord, or the landlord's spouse, children, or parents, provided the landlord is a natural person, or for a resident manager.

  9. The landlord seeks in good faith to recover possession so as to demolish, or perform other work on the building or buildings housing the rental unit or units and


  10. The landlord seeks in good faith to recover possession in order to remove the rental unit permanently from rental housing use.

  11. The landlord seeks in good faith to recover possession of the rental unit in order to comply with a governmental agency's order to vacate the building housing the rental unit as a result of a violation of the Los Angeles Municipal Code or any other provision of law.

Reasons 8,9,10,11 in the list above require the approval of the Rent Stabilization Division. A landlord in all those cases must fill in a form and file it with the division.

For reasons 8,9,10, 11 a copy of the appropriate declaration must be served upon the tenant or on before the date in which the tenant is given a 30 day notice to quit. Also for all of these evictions, relocation assistance is required to be paid by the landlord within 15 days after the service of the notice. Only in case of reason 11 no relocation is required when the hazardous conditions are due to a natural disaster or act of God.

Reasons 1,2,3,4,5,6,7do not require RSD approval. Landlords must file a declaration of Intent to Evict for reasons 3,4 when evicting for illegal drug activity.