What Qualifies as Just Cause to Evict in Long Beach?

Published May 2026  |  Category: California Landlord Laws  |  12 min read

By Miles Williams, Broker/Owner, Real Property Management Southland  |  CA DRE #01968830

Last verified: May 2026 | Long Beach Municipal Code Chapter 8.99

Long Beach’s Just Cause Eviction Ordinance is one of the strictest local tenant protection laws in California. Adopted on February 18, 2020 and significantly amended in March 2022, it goes further than state law in almost every direction: broader coverage, higher relocation payments, stricter notice requirements, and enhanced penalties for violations. If you own rental property in Long Beach and you are not intimately familiar with Chapter 8.99, you are exposed.

This article is the companion to our step-by-step Long Beach eviction process guide. That guide covers the court process, timeline, and what happens after you serve a notice. This one goes deep on what actually qualifies as just cause and what you must do before you ever hand that notice to a tenant. Get this part right, and the rest of the process follows. Get it wrong, and you may be starting from zero months later.

What Is Long Beach’s Just Cause Eviction Ordinance?

Long Beach Municipal Code Chapter 8.99 (formally titled the “Just Cause for Termination of Tenancies Ordinance”) was adopted by the Long Beach City Council on February 18, 2020. It requires landlords to have a legally enumerated reason before terminating a residential tenancy once the tenant has lived in the unit for 12 consecutive months. You cannot simply give a standard 30-day or 60-day no-cause notice to a long-term tenant in Long Beach. The ordinance does not allow it.

The law applies citywide to most residential rental units in Long Beach. It covers both single-family homes and multi-family buildings, with a specific set of exemptions that we will cover in detail below. What makes Long Beach’s ordinance particularly strict is its combination of broad coverage, mandatory relocation payments for no-fault removals, and enhanced civil penalties of up to $15,000 per violation plus attorney’s fees. The city is serious about enforcement.

“Long Beach’s Just Cause Ordinance is one of the strictest in California. One procedural error and you’re starting over.”
Miles Williams, Broker/Owner, Real Property Management Southland

The ordinance was amended in March 2022, primarily to increase relocation assistance requirements for substantial remodel evictions and to add new reporting obligations. As of 2026, Chapter 8.99 remains the controlling local law. It runs alongside state law (AB 1482), but where Long Beach is stricter, Long Beach controls. More on that in the AB 1482 interaction section below.

At-Fault Just Cause: Complete List of Qualifying Reasons

At-fault just cause means the tenant did something that justifies ending the tenancy. Long Beach Chapter 8.99 enumerates the following at-fault grounds. Most require a written notice with a cure period before a termination notice can be served. Skipping the cure step is a procedural error that will get your case thrown out.

The Complete At-Fault Reasons Under Chapter 8.99

1. Nonpayment of rent. The tenant has failed to pay rent that is legally due. You must serve a 3-Day Notice to Pay or Quit. The amount demanded must be exact. Overcharging by even one dollar can invalidate the notice.
2. Breach of a material term of the lease. The tenant has violated a written provision of the lease and failed to cure after receiving a written notice providing at least three days to correct the violation. “Material” means a provision that goes to the heart of the agreement, such as unauthorized pets, excessive occupants, or failure to maintain the unit.
3. Nuisance or waste. The tenant is maintaining a nuisance, causing damage to the property, or permitting waste. This must typically be documented with written warnings and evidence. It is not enough to say the tenant is being difficult.
4. Criminal or illegal activity. The tenant is using the unit for criminal purposes, or has engaged in criminal activity that affects the health, safety, or right of peaceful enjoyment of other residents or the immediate vicinity. This is distinct from a single arrest, which alone does not qualify.
5. Unauthorized subletting or assignment. The tenant has sublet the unit or assigned the tenancy without the landlord’s written consent in violation of the lease.
6. Refusal to sign a lease renewal with similar terms. The tenant refuses to execute a written extension or renewal of the lease with materially similar terms. The new lease terms must not contain unreasonable new conditions.
7. Refusal to allow owner access. The tenant refuses to allow the landlord lawful access to the property after receiving proper advance notice as required by California Civil Code Section 1954. This is rarely, rarely a standalone ground and must be documented carefully.
8. Employee or caretaker tenancy ended. The tenant was an on-site manager, employee, or caretaker whose occupancy was tied to employment, and that employment relationship has ended.
9. Tenant gave notice and then held over. The tenant gave written notice of intent to vacate or agreed to terminate the tenancy in writing, and then failed to leave by the agreed date.

No-Fault Just Cause: When You Can Evict Without Tenant Wrongdoing

No-fault just cause means the tenant has not done anything wrong, but the landlord has a legitimate reason to reclaim the property. These are harder to execute properly because they always require relocation assistance, and some require permits or government approvals before you can even serve the notice. The stakes for errors are high.

The Complete No-Fault Reasons Under Chapter 8.99

1. Owner move-in (OMI). The landlord or a qualified family member intends to occupy the unit as their primary residence. Qualifying relatives are limited to: spouse, domestic partner, children, grandchildren, parents, or grandparents. The intended occupant must actually move in within a specified period after the tenant vacates and must reside there for a minimum period. If the landlord fails to move in as stated or vacates within the required period, the tenant has a right of return and may have a wrongful eviction claim.
2. Relative move-in. Same qualifying relatives as owner move-in. The relative must move in and maintain the unit as their primary residence. This is not a mechanism to remove a tenant so you can re-rent to someone at a higher rent. Doing so is wrongful eviction.
3. Substantial rehabilitation or remodel. The landlord intends to undertake substantial rehabilitation work that requires the unit to be vacant. This ground requires obtaining all necessary permits from the City of Long Beach before serving the notice. You cannot serve the notice first and get permits later. The 2022 amendment added a requirement to notify the city with a comprehensive list of all displaced residents.
4. Government order to vacate. A city or county agency has issued an order requiring the unit to be vacated due to conditions making it uninhabitable (e.g., red-tagged building). The landlord did not cause the conditions through neglect.
5. Withdrawal from the rental market (Ellis Act). The landlord intends to permanently remove the unit from the rental market. Ellis Act withdrawals have their own separate set of procedural requirements under California Government Code Section 7060 et seq., including a 120-day notice period (one year for elderly or disabled tenants) and re-rental restrictions. Ellis Act removals must follow both state and local requirements.

At-Fault vs. No-Fault: Side-by-Side Comparison

The table below covers all just cause grounds, the required notice type, the typical notice period, whether relocation assistance is required, and the key procedural requirement for each. This is the reference you need before serving any termination notice in Long Beach.

Relocation Assistance: What Long Beach Landlords Must Pay

This is the most misunderstood part of Chapter 8.99, and the mistakes here are expensive. Relocation assistance is mandatory for all no-fault just cause terminations. There is no exception for “I thought the tenant could find something quickly” or “I gave them extra time.” The law requires payment, and it requires it within a tight window.

General No-Fault Evictions

For most no-fault terminations (owner move-in, relative move-in, government order to vacate), the landlord must pay the tenant relocation assistance equal to one month’s rent at the rate in effect at the time the notice is served. The landlord may fulfill this obligation either by paying the tenant directly or by providing a written waiver of the last month’s rent. The payment must be made within 15 calendar days after serving the written termination notice.

Substantial Remodel Evictions (Higher Standard)

The 2022 amendment to Chapter 8.99 significantly increased relocation assistance for substantial remodel evictions. If you are removing a tenant to perform substantial rehabilitation work, the required relocation assistance is the greater of $4,500 or two months of the tenant’s rent in effect at the time notice is served. For a Long Beach rental at $2,500 per month, that means $5,000 in required relocation assistance. For a unit at $3,000 per month, that is $6,000. Payment must still be made within 15 calendar days.

What Happens If You Don’t Pay

Failure to pay required relocation assistance is a wrongful eviction under Chapter 8.99. The tenant can sue for actual damages, the relocation assistance amount, civil penalties up to $15,000 per violation, and attorney’s fees and costs. These are not small numbers. We have seen landlords who tried to skip the relocation payment end up paying far more in litigation than the relocation assistance would have cost. Playing the long game means doing it right the first time.

Who Is Covered and Who Is Exempt

Chapter 8.99 applies broadly, but there are specific exemptions. If your property qualifies for an exemption, standard notice requirements apply and you are not bound by the just cause requirement. However, the exemptions are narrower than many landlords assume, and you must meet the criteria precisely. Assuming you are exempt when you are not is how landlords end up in wrongful eviction litigation.

Properties Covered by Chapter 8.99

The ordinance covers most residential rental units in Long Beach where a tenant has continuously occupied the unit for 12 months or more. This includes:

• Single-family homes rented as residential units
• Condominiums rented to tenants
• Apartments and multi-family buildings of any size
• ADUs (Additional Dwelling Units) rented separately from the primary residence
• Units in any residential structure not specifically exempted below

Properties Exempt From Chapter 8.99

How Just Cause Interacts With AB 1482 (State vs. Local)

This is where a lot of Long Beach landlords get confused, and the confusion leads to errors. AB 1482 (the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019) is state law. Chapter 8.99 is Long Beach local law. Both impose just cause requirements, but they overlap differently for different properties. The key rule: where local law is stricter than state law, local law controls.

What AB 1482 Covers

AB 1482 applies statewide to residential rental units that are: (1) at least 15 years old from the date of the certificate of occupancy, and (2) not exempt under its own exemption categories (which include single-family homes and condos where the landlord served the proper exemption notice). AB 1482 imposes just cause requirements AND rent increase caps (no more than 5% plus local CPI, up to 10% annually). Its just cause list is broadly similar to Chapter 8.99.

Where Long Beach Is Stricter Than AB 1482

Chapter 8.99 goes further than AB 1482 in several important ways:

• Relocation assistance amounts: AB 1482 requires relocation assistance equal to one month’s rent for most no-fault evictions. Long Beach requires the same for general no-fault evictions, and more (higher of $4,500 or two months’ rent) for substantial remodel evictions. For remodel evictions, Long Beach is clearly stricter.
• Permit-first requirement for remodel evictions: Long Beach requires all building permits to be obtained before serving a substantial remodel notice. AB 1482 does not explicitly mandate this pre-notice permit step at the state level.
• Reporting requirements: The 2022 amendment requires landlords to provide the City with a list of all displaced residents for substantial remodel evictions. State law has no equivalent requirement.
• Enhanced penalties: Chapter 8.99 provides for penalties up to $15,000 per violation plus attorney’s fees. AB 1482 does not include the same enhanced local penalty structure.
• Broader coverage analysis: Chapter 8.99 may cover properties that fall into an AB 1482 exemption category if the landlord failed to properly serve the AB 1482 exemption notice. The failure to serve the exemption notice at lease signing does not eliminate local protections.

Notice Requirements: What Must Be in Writing

Long Beach courts scrutinize termination notices closely, and so do tenant attorneys. A notice that is missing required information, uses the wrong form, states the wrong dates, or fails to include the required just cause statement can be attacked and defeated before you ever get to the substance of your case. The procedural requirements are not suggestions.

What Every Termination Notice Must Include

1. The specific just cause reason for termination. You must identify the exact just cause ground under Chapter 8.99 that you are invoking. Vague language like “violation of lease terms” without identifying the specific provision violated is insufficient. If you are terminating for nonpayment, state the exact amount owed and the period it covers.
2. The date by which the tenant must vacate or cure. The notice must state the precise date. For at-fault curable violations, this is typically three calendar days after service. For no-fault terminations, this is typically 30 or 60 days depending on length of tenancy.
3. Relocation assistance confirmation for no-fault notices. For no-fault termination notices, the notice should confirm that relocation assistance will be paid (or is being paid simultaneously) and in what amount. Failing to reference relocation assistance on the notice or failing to pay within 15 days is a wrongful eviction.
4. Proper service method. California law requires specific service methods for termination notices: personal delivery, substituted service (leaving with a person of suitable age plus mailing), or posting and mailing. Improper service invalidates the notice even if the content is correct.
5. Landlord or property manager contact information. The notice must identify who is serving it and how the tenant can respond.

Notice Periods by Tenancy Length

For owner/relative move-in and other no-fault grounds requiring a 30 or 60-day notice:

• Tenants with less than 12 months of continuous occupancy: 30-day written notice (though Chapter 8.99 just cause protections have not yet activated for these tenants)
• Tenants with 12 months or more of continuous occupancy: 60-day written notice

For Ellis Act withdrawals, the notice period is 120 days for most tenants and one full year for qualifying elderly (62+) or disabled tenants. Ellis Act compliance is its own complex area under California Government Code Section 7060 et seq., and the penalties for non-compliance are severe.

Common Landlord Mistakes Under Chapter 8.99

After over a decade managing rentals in Long Beach, I have seen the same errors come up over and over. Most of them are avoidable. Here is what I see Long Beach landlords get wrong most often when trying to terminate a tenancy.

“Every property owner should look at their property as an asset and not just what’s the fee a property manager is going to cost me. The question is how are you going to increase the value of my asset over time. Avoiding a wrongful eviction lawsuit is a big, big part of that.”
Miles Williams, Broker/Owner, Real Property Management Southland

The Error That Starts the Clock Over

The most devastating mistake is a procedural defect that gets your unlawful detainer dismissed. When a judge dismisses your UD case on a procedural ground, you typically have to re-serve the notice and start the timeline over from zero. In a city like Long Beach, where the eviction process can already take three to four months when everything goes right, a procedural error can mean six or more months of unpaid rent before you recover possession. Getting it right the first time is not a luxury. It is essential. See our full eviction process guide for the complete timeline from notice to court to possession.

RPM Southland handles over 730 properties across Long Beach, Downey, Lakewood, and the surrounding communities. When we need to terminate a tenancy, we use attorneys who specialize in California landlord-tenant law, we document everything, and we verify every procedural requirement before a notice goes out. We rarely, rarely end up in contested UD litigation because the notices are right the first time. That is the value of working with a property manager who has been doing this locally for over a decade.

Miles Williams

Broker/Owner, Real Property Management Southland | CA DRE #01968830

Miles Williams founded Real Property Management Southland in 2014 while completing his Master’s degree at Cal State Long Beach. over a decade he has grown RPM Southland into one of Long Beach’s most-reviewed property management companies, managing over 730 properties across Long Beach, Downey, Lakewood, Cerritos, and surrounding Southeast LA County communities. He specializes in full-service residential management with a focus on compliance, transparent pricing, and long-term client relationships. Locally owned and operated franchise of Real Property Management, a Neighborly company.