We are not Attorneys and this should not be considered as Legal Advice. Consult with an Attorney or Property Manager.
Get help on the following topics
Required Inspections (Per LAHD website)
https://housing.lacity.gov/rental-property-owners/required-inspections-fees-and-standards
Safety and security
Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and replace batteries as needed.
Ensure fire extinguishers are charged and accessible.
Check that all fire doors are functional and not blocked.
Inspect outdoor lighting, window locks, and door seals for security.
Ensure all exits are clear and illuminated.
Appliances and systems
Change or clean HVAC filters quarterly and schedule professional tune-ups.
Clean refrigerator and freezer coils and drip trays.
Clean the dryer vent to prevent lint buildup.
Have the water heater serviced annually, including flushing sediment.
Clean the garbage disposal.
Check all plumbing fixtures for leaks, drips, or low water pressure.
Exterior and grounds
Clean gutters and downspouts, especially after wind events or before the rainy season.
Inspect the roof, windows, and doors for any signs of leaks or damage.
Check and repair any cracked or broken window screens.
Maintain landscaping and inspect irrigation systems.
Check and repair any damage to fences or gates.
Indoor and structural
Inspect walls and ceilings for water damage, cracks, or peeling paint.
Check caulk around sinks, tubs, and showers for deterioration.
Look for signs of pests and address any infestations promptly.
Schedule professional pest and termite inspections annually.
Ensure floors are in good condition, checking for stains, holes, or water damage.
Legal requirements in California
Habitability: California law requires landlords to maintain a habitable and safe rental unit, which includes making prompt repairs to health and safety issues.
Detector functionality: Landlords are required to ensure all required smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly.
Essential systems: Essential systems like plumbing, electrical, and heating must be maintained.
A Los Angeles tenant screening checklist involves completing a rental application, verifying the applicant's information, and performing background checks. Key steps include checking credit and criminal history, verifying employment and income, contacting previous landlords, and confirming financial stability. It's also important to collect written consent for checks and be aware of local LA and California laws.
1. Rental Application and Information Collection
Gather personal information: Collect full names, date of birth, social security number, and contact details for all occupants.
Collect financial and employment details: Request current and previous employment history, including employer contact information, job title, and income. Ask for proof of income like pay stubs or tax returns.
Request rental history: Ask for past addresses, landlord contact information, and reasons for leaving for the last 3-5 years.
Include key disclosures: Ask about pets, smokers, and any history of evictions or bankruptcies.
Add consent forms: Require the applicant to provide written consent for credit and background checks.
2. Verification and Checks
Verify employment and income: Contact employers to confirm the applicant's salary, job title, and length of employment.
Contact previous landlords: Speak to previous landlords to ask if rent was paid on time, if the property was maintained, and how the tenant behaved.
Run background checks: Conduct criminal background checks for violent or drug-related crimes. Check for past evictions and bankruptcies.
Perform credit checks: Review the applicant's credit score and history for patterns like consistent late payments.
Verify identity: Match the application information with a government-issued photo ID to ensure the applicant is who they say they are.
3. Final Assessment
Evaluate overall financial stability: Don't just look at income, but consider debts and cash reserves. A common standard is for income to be at least three times the monthly rent.
Meet the applicant in person: Getting to know the applicant in person can provide insights and help you spot potential issues.
Know the law: Stay informed about Los Angeles and California tenant-landlord laws, which may include specific regulations on tenant screening and what information you can ask for.
This document outlines the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program in California, detailing its purpose, compliance monitoring, eligibility criteria, rent determination, and tenant rights.
LIHTC Program Overview
Established by Congress in 1986, the LIHTC program incentivizes private investment in affordable rental housing for low-income Californians.
CTCAC allocates tax credits and oversees a 55-year compliance period for projects, ensuring they meet income and rent restrictions.
Monitoring and Compliance
CTCAC enforces IRS rules to ensure properties rent to eligible households, maintain unit conditions, and adhere to rent limits.
Properties are inspected every three to five years, and owners must certify compliance annually.
Eligibility Criteria
Developers must set aside a minimum number of units for low-income households, with specific income restrictions (e.g., 40% of units at or below 60% AMI).
Some properties may have additional state requirements for deeper targeting (e.g., units for households at 30% AMI).
Rent Determination
Rents are based on the Area Median Income (AMI) published by HUD, differing from subsidy-based programs like Section 8.
CTCAC does not mandate rent increases but allows them if they remain within maximum limits.
Rental Increases and Notices
Owners can increase rents without a maximum limit, provided they give proper notice (30 days for increases ≤10%, 90 days for >10%).
The California Tenant Protection Act does not apply to LIHTC properties due to their regulatory restrictions.
Gross Rent and Fees
Gross rent includes tenant-paid rent, utility allowances, and mandatory fees. Optional fees are not included in this calculation.
Owners may charge above the LIHTC limit if tenants receive Section 8 assistance, but must reduce rent if assistance ends.
Eviction Policies
Tenants can be evicted for non-payment of rent but only for "good cause," as defined by local courts.
CTCAC does not intervene in eviction processes but ensures tenants receive written notice of eviction reasons.
Tenant Rights
Tenants can refer to the California Department of Real Estate for information on their rights, applicable to all residential rentals.
Full LITCH Document from CA State Treasury: https://www.treasurer.ca.gov/ctcac/2022/compliance.pdf
For a Full overview form LA Housing, go to:
https://housing.lacity.gov/residents/rso-overview
What Falls Under RSO
If you own rental property in the City of Los Angeles, it may be subject to the city’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO). Find out if your property falls under this ordinance and what you need to know to be in compliance.
Generally, the RSO applies to rental properties that were first built on or before October 1, 1978, as well as replacement units under LAMC Section 151.28 and if any of the following:
Apartment
Condominium
Townhome
Duplex
Two or more single-family dwelling units on the same parcel
Rooms in a hotel, motel, rooming house, or boarding house occupied by the same tenant for more than 30 consecutive days
Residential unit(s) attached to a commercial building
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)
Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU)
Mobilehomes and recreational vehicles in mobile home parks are also covered under the RSO.
What the RSO Covers
Allowable rent increases
Registration of rental units
Types of evictions requiring payment of tenant relocation assistance
RSO disclosure notice for all “Cash for Keys” or Buyout Agreements
When Can Rent Be Increased
Rent increases that do not require LAHD approval
Rent may be increased to the market rate if the tenant:
voluntarily moves out;
does not pay rent and is evicted;
violated the lease agreement and is evicted;
is evicted for failure to comply with a Tenant Habitability Plan; or
is evicted per a City Attorney order.
accepts a Tenant Buyout Agreement
Rent may be increased once every 12 months by the allowable rent increase percentage (click here to view the allowable rent increase PDF). The landlord can add an additional 1% per utility paid by the landlord (gas and/or electricity). Effective March 30, 2020, through January 31, 2024, rent increases are prohibited for rental units subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO).
If an additional tenant moves into a rental unit: Landlords can increase the rent within 60 days of learning about the additional tenant. There is no increase for the first minor dependent child added to the existing rental unit. Rent increases for unauthorized additional tenants who moved between March 2020 and December 2023 must be provided an advance written notice of rental increase on or before March 1, 2024.
Click the following link to view the additional tenant PDF (English).
Click the following link to view the additional tenant PDF (Spanish).
A $1.61 monthly surcharge may be collected by the landlord as the tenant’s portion of the Registration fee. Effective January 1, 2020, the surcharge is $38.75. The landlord may pass through 50% of the fee to the tenant every month rather than once a year. A 30-day notice must be given to the tenant to collect a rental surcharge of $1.61.
Effective January 1, 2022, a landlord may collect 1/12 of 50% of the annual Systematic Code Enforcement Fee from the tenant of the rental unit per month. (Added by Ord. No. 187,108, Eff. 8/6/21.)
Click the following link to view the Systematic Code Enforcement Fee PDF (Spanish).
A $3.00 surcharge may be added to the rent for the installation and cost of a hard-wired smoke detector or a combination smoke/carbon monoxide detector.
Rent increases that require LAHD approval
Capital Improvement Program: Landlords can recover costs for improvements to the rental unit or common areas for items that benefit the tenant and will last at least five years (RAC Reg 210).
Primary Renovation Program: Landlords can recover costs for major renovations of building systems or to reduce exposure to hazardous materials (RAC Reg 220).
Seismic Retrofit Program: Landlords can recover costs for seismic retrofit work mandated by Soft-Story Ordinance No. 183893.
Rehabilitation Program: Landlords can recover costs for work in a unit or common area to comply with an order issued by LAHD or other government entities (RAC Reg 250).
Just and Reasonable Rent Increase: A landlord can apply for a rent increase when their net operating income adjusted for inflation is not sufficient to cover the property’s operating expenses (RAC Reg 240).
Luxury Exemption: A landlord can apply for an exemption from the RSO if they can establish the monthly rent charged on or before May 31, 1978,*.
How to Calculate Rent Increases and Surcharges.
Required Registration and Posted Notification of RSO Rental Units
All Properties with RSO rental units must post a notification. Click here to download the Notice.
A landlord must serve a tenant with an annual registration statement (Certificate).
Beginning August 20, 2025, landlords must post the Notice of Right to Counsel and provide it to the tenant at the start of the tenancy. The Notice must also be attached to a copy of any eviction notice or termination of a rental subsidy.
All units rented or offered for rent must be registered annually with LAHD. New property owners have 45 days to register their rental property and if applicable, file Temporary exemptions.
Beginning in 2017, in addition to paying the annual registration fee, landlords must also complete the Rent Registry form.
Owners are responsible for the payment of annual fees; however, the cost of registration may be shared by landlords and tenants.
If the status of a previously exempted unit changes, the property owner must notify the LAHD and pay the applicable fees within 10 days.
Legal Reasons for Eviction
Failure to pay rent
Failure to fix or address a violation of the rental agreement
Creating a nuisance or causing damage to the rental unit
Using the rental unit for an illegal purpose
Failure to renew a similar rental agreement
Failure to provide the landlord with reasonable access to the rental unit
The person at the end of the lease term is a subtenant not approved by the landlord
The owner or immediate family member will move into the rental unit
A resident manager will move into the rental unit
Demolition and permanent removal from the rental market
Government order
Conversion to affordable housing
Eviction Notices
All notices to terminate a tenancy for all rental units subject to City’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) must be filed with the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) within three (3) business days of service on the tenant per Los Angeles Municipal Code 151.09.C.9 & 165.05.B.5. Click here for more information.
Types of Evictions Requiring Payment of Tenant Relocation Assistance
No-fault evictions require the payment of relocation assistance.
Checklist for No-Fault Evictions
File a Landlord Declaration of Intent to Evict filed with the LAHD.
Give the tenant a 30-day and 60-day written notice (some evictions require 120-day notice or up to a 1-year extension).
Payment of tenant relocation assistance.
Keep Your Property Well-Maintained
Learn about the city’s regulations that protect the health, safety, and welfare of residents and whether your property is meeting City standards.
Landlord Services
We offer services for landlords that include workshops on the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, online bill payment, and registering a foreclosed property online, to name a few.
If My Property is Not Rent Stabilized
Even if your property is not covered under the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, you and your tenants have rights and responsibilities under the Just Cause Ordinance.
To Learn More About the Rent Stabilization Ordinance
View the Department’s calendar of events for free informational workshops. By clicking here, you can stay updated on new renter protections. Here you can pay your annual bill. Bill payment has never been easier. Login to your account online and view statements, apply for exemptions, and receive email notifications. It’s that simple. Create an account today.
For Full LAHD Resources, go to https://housing.lacity.gov/renter-protections-2
If you are a residential tenant and receive a Los Angeles Court Document (Summons & Complaint- Unlawful Detainer (UD)), you may be eligible for legal services through the City’s Right to Counsel program in partnership with Stay Housed LA (SHLA) if you meet the following eligibility criteria. Please click here for more information on RTC.
ATTENTION LANDLORDS:
Beginning August 20, 2025, you must provide your tenant with a Notice of Right to Counsel in the following instances:
Provide a Notice of Right to Counsel at the beginning of a tenancy in the tenant’s primary language. Find other languages at housing.lacity.gov/RTC.
Attach a Notice of Right to Counsel to a copy of any eviction notice ( served on the tenant.
Attach a Notice of Right to Counsel to any notice of termination of a rental housing subsidy (e.g., Section 8).
Attach a Notice of Right to Counsel to any rental housing subsidy administrative proceeding correspondence that may result in the termination of the tenant’s rental housing subsidy.
Post the Notice of Right to Counsel in a conspicuous common area of the residential building where the tenant resides.
Please click here for more information on RTC.
Tenants are protected from eviction between Feb. 1, 2025, and July 31, 2025, if they lost actual wages due to one of the following:
Your place of employment or business was destroyed or rendered uninhabitable due to the Wildfires or
Your employer has laid you off or reduced working hours, or
You had clients located in the Wildfires, which resulted in a loss of income.
You must also meet all of the following criteria:
Provide your landlord with a self-certification notice within seven days of rent due for each month you cannot afford to pay rent. For February 2025 rent, a tenant must give notice to the landlord by March 4, 2025.
You must have lived in the unit since before January 7, 2025.
Loss of at least ten percent of your average monthly household income immediately before January 7, 2025.
Enrolled in or have applied to a wildfire relief program and applied for unemployment benefits or other qualifying income assistance programs.
Must have a 2024 household income equal to or less than 150% of the Area Median Income.
Income Limit Category
1 Person
2 Persons
3 Persons
4 Persons
5 Persons
6 Persons
7 Persons
8 Persons
Low Income 150% of Median
$103,150
$117,850
$132,600
$147,300
$159,100
$170,900
$182,700
$194,450
Rent not paid during this time must be paid to the landlord on or before July 31, 2026. Tenants are encouraged to work with their landlord on a payment plan and make partial payments if they can. For more information about this Los Angeles County law, click here.
Effective February 24, 2024, the City Council approved eviction protection for those that have unauthorized persons or pets that were displaced due to the recent fires. In order to be protected from eviction, the tenant must notify their landlord in writing by March 25, 2025, and provide the following information:
Full names and date of birth of the displaced persons.
Type of pet and physical description of the pet.
The property address of the displaced persons or pets.
The reason and proof the displaced persons/pets have been displaced such a due to an evacuation order, damage or destruction due to the fire.
Rent for rental units covered under the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) cannot be increased for additional tenants and/or pets added to a tenancy if displaced due to the wildfires.
An informational letter was recently mailed to City of Los Angeles residential properties (including rented single-family homes) with information regarding the new Just Cause Ordinance (JCO), recently approved by the City Council. This ordinance provides eviction protections for tenants who reside in rental units not covered under the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO). If you received this letter, you will soon (mid-March – April) receive an annual registration bill of $31.05 per rental unit. If your property is not used as a rental unit, you do not need to pay the registration fee but must complete and submit the enclosed exemption form that will be included with the registration bill indicating the property is owner-occupied or that no rent is being collected. This process may also be completed online by following the instructions on the bill. An exemption form is valid only for the current calendar year. You received this informational letter because your mailing address differs from the property address in the Los Angeles Assessor Tax Collector’s database. Click here for more information about the JCO. Click here for more information about the fees.
All landlords of residential properties must provide a Notice of Renters’ Protections to tenants who begin or renew their tenancy on or after January 27, 2023. This notice must also be posted in an accessible common area of the property. Click here to download the Protections Notice.
Unless amended by the City Council, the annual rent increase for rental units subject to the City of Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO), effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, is 3%. If the landlord provides gas and electric service to the tenant, an additional 1% can be added. State law requires landlords to provide 30-day written advance notice for rent increases of less than 10%.
To determine if your unit is subject to the RSO, click here (zimas.lacity.org). Enter your address, click the Housing tab and the RSO status for the property will be indicated. For questions, please call the LAHD hotline at 866-557-7368.
RSO rent increases are permitted once every 12 months.
Assembly Bill 1482 (AB 1482, the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019) is a new State law effective January 1 , 2020.
It does the following:
Requires a landlord have a “just cause” in order to terminate a tenancy.
Limits annual rent increases to no more than 5% + local CPI (Consumer Price Index), or 10%, whichever is lower.
It applies to some units that are not already subject to the City of Los Angeles’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO). For information on what is covered please click here.
It does not do the following:
It does not replace, amend or remove the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO). If a unit is already covered by the Los Angeles City’s RSO eviction and rent increase regulations, the units remain subject the City’s laws and the statewide law does not remove or replace the RSO tenant protections.
From March 2020 through January 31, 2024, annual rent increases were prohibited for rental units subject to the City's Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO).
Annual rent increases for rental units subject to the City of Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO), effective is July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026 is 3%. If the landlord provides gas and electric service to the tenant, an additional 1% can be added. State law requires landlords to provide an advance 30-day written notice for rent increases of less than 10%. For prior rent increase information, you can click here.
To find out if you live in an RSO unit, go to zimas.lacity.org. Or, text the letters "RSO" to: 1(855) 880-7368 and follow the instructions (use the lowest number address on the property, for example, building includes addresses 1722, 1724, 1726, 1728 No. Main Street, use 1722 N Main St.)
For non-RSO properties, please contact the Housing Department about allowable rent increases at: 1-866-557-7368 or submit an inquiry 24/7 at Ask-Housing (housing.lacity.org/ask-housing), choose "rent increase" from drop down menu.
To Get to the LA Housing functional calculator, go here:
https://housing.lacity.gov/rso-rent-increase-calculator
* denotes a required field
Percent of Annual Allowable Rent Increase:
3%
Please enter your current rent amount before rent increase:*
( Amount should not include any surcharges such as SCEP $2.83, etc.)
Total New Monthly Rent Payment:
( If the tenant has their own DWP bill then select No)
Yes
No
( If the tenant has their own Gas Company bill then the answer is No. The gas does not include the payment for a common furnace boiler or hot water heater)
Yes
No
Plus Monthly RSO Surcharge Added to Rent
$1.61
Plus Monthly SCEP Surcharge Added to Rent
$2.83
Calculation :
Total New Monthly Rent Payment with Allowable Rent Increase and Surcharges:
Each year landlords may pass through to tenants the RSO and the Systematic Code Enforcement Program fee (SCEP) surcharges with proper written notice as follows:
SCEP Pass Through Amount: Effective January 1, 2022, the SCEP fee is a total of $67.94 per unit which landlords may collect from tenants at a rate of $2.83 per month for 12 months each year with a proper written notice.
RSO Pass Through Amount: Effective January 1, 2020, the RSO fee is a total of $38.75 per unit which landlords may collect from tenants at a rate of $1.61 per month for 12 months each year with a proper written notice.
The SCEP and RSO surcharges are separate and in addition to the rent amount and can only be collected after the landlord registers the units and gives written notice to the tenant.
This calculator is designed to be an informational and educational tool only. Your use of the calculator is voluntary. The City of Los Angeles does not guarantee the accuracy or reliability of any results produced by the calculator. If you use the results for any purpose, the responsibility for that use is entirely with you, the user. The City of Los Angeles is not responsible for any damages that may arise from the use of, or the inability to use the calculator, or that result from mistakes, omissions, interruptions, deletion of files, errors, defects, delays in operation, or transmission, or any failure of performance.