Housing Protection

The Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office educates the public and investigates and prosecutes violations of the tenant protection and fair housing laws in Santa Monica. More information about key housing rights is available below. Click here to file a complaint with the City Attorney’s Office for violation of a tenant protection law that the City Attorney’s Office enforces.

For assistance responding to an eviction notice or lawsuit, please contact Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles at www.lafla.org/get-help or at 1-800-399-4529. The City Attorney’s Office does not represent individual landlords or tenants.

Tenant Harassment

The City Attorney’s Office enforces the City’s Tenant Harassment Ordinance. Harassment is defined as certain acts done by a landlord against a tenant, in bad faith, which includes but is not limited to an intent to push a tenant out of their home. The City Attorney’s Office also enforces requirements of the Buyout Offers and Agreements Code, which impose certain requirements on landlords when initiating negotiations to buyout tenants.

Tenant Harassment FAQ

What Owners & Landlords Must Do if They Offer a Buyout Agreement

Fair Housing

The City Attorney’s Office enforces the City’s Housing Anti-Discrimination Ordinance, which prohibits discrimination by landlords against tenants and applicants on the basis of disability, age, source of income (including Section 8), housing status, parenthood, pregnancy, and the presence of children. Federal, State, and laws further prohibit landlords from discriminating against tenants and applicants on the basis of race, age, children, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, religion and HIV/AIDS status. Santa Monica’s Tenant Harassment Ordinance prohibits bad faith discrimination in violation of any of these laws.

Information on Disability Rights

Tenant Relocation

The City’s Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance requires landlords to provide temporary relocation benefits to tenants when their units are not habitable and requires landlords to provide permanent relocation benefits when a landlord has a legitimate no-fault reason to terminate a tenancy. The Code Enforcement Division is primarily responsible for enforcement of the Tenant Temporary Relocation Assistance Ordinance, and the City Attorney’s Office takes complaints for violation of the Tenant Permanent Relocation Ordinance.

FAQs on Temporary Tenant Relocation Assistance

FAQs on Permanent Relocation

Notice of Tenant Relocation Rights required by SMMC Section 4.36.030(b) – to be given with a notice of rent increase in either of the following situations:

Notice given to the tenant of a duplex or triplex that is exempt from the rent control law due to the owner occupying one of the units, and the notice of rent increase exceeds the sum of any increase that would be permitted if the unit were not exempt from the rent control law.
Notice given to the tenant of any unit and the maximum increase permitted by the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (Civil Code 1946.2). Effective August 1, 2025, this amount is 8% for Los Angeles County.

Notice of Tenant Relocation Rights required by SMMC Section 4.36.030(a) and (c) – to be given in any of the following situations:

A tenant has given a notice of intent to relinquish tenancy after receiving a qualifying notice of rent increase or after having been temporarily relocated for more than 6 months;
Landlord seeks to recover possession of a non-rent-controlled unit subject to Santa Monica City Charter Article XXIII for owner occupancy or to remove all units on the property from the rental market.

Please contact Rent Control for a copy of the required form if you are a landlord who seek to recover possession of a rent-controlled unit for owner occupancy, to remove all units on the property from the rental market, or to demolish or otherwise a unit from the rental housing market.

Eviction Protections

The City Attorney’s Office enforces the Tenant Protection Ordinance which, along with state law, prohibits landlords from using self-help to evict a tenant, including changing locks and shutting off utilities. Landlords may not evict tenants without using a formal legal process. Most hotels and motels also must use a formal legal process to remove occupants who have stayed in for more than 30 days.

FAQs on Hotels and the 30-Day Rule

Most multi-family rental properties in Santa Monica are also covered by either the Santa Monica Rent Control Charter Amendment or the Housing Policies Charter Amendment. Both laws require that a landlord have “just cause” to evict a tenant. Both laws also require that a landlord first give a tenant a written warning notice to cease certain conduct before serving a notice to terminate tenancy.

For more information on the Rent Control Law, visit: www.santamonica.gov/rentcontrol

FAQs on Measure RR

For assistance responding to an eviction notice or lawsuit, please contact Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles at www.lafla.org/get-help or at 1-800-399-4529. The City Attorney’s Office does not represent individual landlords or tenants.

Habitability and Repair Issues

State and local laws require landlords to maintain rental units in habitable condition. Tenants have various options to get a landlord to make repairs, and remedies if a landlord does not.

FAQs on Apartment Repairs

Homesharing, Vacation Rentals, and Minimum Lease Requirements

The City’s Homesharing and Vacation Rentals Ordinance prohibits short term vacation rentals (rentals of less than 30 days when a host does not live on site) and permits homesharing (rentals of less than 30 days when a host does live on site) subject to certain regulations. The City’s Minimum Lease Requirements Ordinance requires that all residential leases be for at least 1 year and imposes other requirements.

Overview of Homesharing and Vacation Rentals

More Information for Tenants and Landlords

The following information provides more information about landlord and tenant rights and obligations in California and Santa Monica.

Landlord Tenant Handbook

Information for Owners

Smoking in Housing

Information on housing programs

If you believe you've been discriminated against, harassed, or denied your tenant rights for any illegal reason, contact the Santa Monica City Attorney's Office at consumer.mailbox@santamonica.gov to find out more about your rights.

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FAQ

What is tenant harassment?

Actions by landlords against tenants that are intended to upset the tenants and make them want to move out. Santa Monica law prohibits the following acts if they're done with the intent to harass:

• Taking away services provided in the lease (such as parking or laundry)

• Entering the apartment without proper notice

• Using lies or intimidation intended to make a tenant move out

• Giving a "three-day notice" or other eviction notice that's based on false charges, where the landlord does not intend to take the case to court

• Using fighting words or threatening bodily harm

• Refusing to do repairs that are required by law

• Intentionally disturbing a tenant's peace and quiet

• Interfering with a tenant's right to privacy

• Refusing to acknowledge receipt of a lawful rent payment

What should I do if I've been harassed?

Always try to resolve your problem directly with the owner. Clear communication can solve many problems faster than you might think. If that doesn't work, and you want to file a complaint, go to smconsumer.org or call the City Attorney's Office at 311 or 1-866-311-SAMO.

What about three-day notices and evictions?

If the owner has given you eviction papers or a three-day notice that you believe are unjustified, always talk to a private lawyer first. If you can't afford one, find out if you qualify for Legal Aid (800-399-4529). If you also want to file a harassment complaint, call the City Attorney's Office for more information. Please note that we can't get involved in eviction cases while they are pending.

Can the City Attorney's Office represent tenants?

No. We are neutral enforcers of the law. Although we investigate complaints against landlords and enforce the harassment law, we can't represent tenants directly.

My landlord refuses to do necessary repairs. What can I do about it?

Tenants should always request the repairs in writing, and keep a copy of the letter. If the landlord fails to respond, the problem should be reported to Code Enforcement (310-458-4984). Tenants can also apply for a rent decrease with the Rent Control Board (310-458-8751).

Can a landlord offer tenants money to move out?

Yes – but there are strict rules about how this is done. All offers must be in writing and accompanied by a list of the tenants’ rights, among other things. Also, landlords can’t use fraud or intimidation to try and get a tenant to vacate. For example, if a landlord says that a tenant will have to abandon their tenancy due to upcoming repairs, the landlord may be guilty of harassment.

If I file a complaint, what evidence does the City Attorney need from me?

It's important to keep copies of all rental agreements, letters, notices, photos, names of witnesses, and any other evidence to support your claim. You need to enclose copies of these items with your complaint.

What if my apartment is not under rent control?

The Tenant Harassment law applies to all tenants, regardless of whether their units are under rent control.

What penalties does the landlord face for harassment?

Each separate violation of the ordinance may be either a criminal misdemeanor (with up to six months in jail plus a $1,000 fine), or a civil violation (subject to injunction, a fine of up to $10,000 per violation, attorneys' fees and possible punitive damages).