California Civil Code 1940.2 – (a) It is unlawful for a landlord to do any of the following for …
(a) It is unlawful for a landlord to do any of the following for the purpose of influencing a tenant to vacate a dwelling:
(1) Engage in conduct that violates subdivision (a) of § 484 of the Penal Code.
Terms Used In California Civil Code 1940.2
- Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
(2) Engage in conduct that violates § 518 of the Penal Code.
(3) Use, or threaten to use, force, willful threats, or menacing conduct constituting a course of conduct that interferes with the tenant’s quiet enjoyment of the premises in violation of Section 1927 that would create an apprehension of harm in a reasonable person. Nothing in this paragraph requires a tenant to be actually or constructively evicted in order to obtain relief.
(4) Commit a significant and intentional violation of Section 1954.
(5) Threaten to disclose information regarding or relating to the immigration or citizenship status of a tenant, occupant, or other person known to the landlord to be associated with a tenant or occupant. This paragraph does not require a tenant to be actually or constructively evicted in order to obtain relief.
(b) A tenant who prevails in a civil action, including an action in small claims court, to enforce his or her rights under this section is entitled to a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000) for each violation.
(c) An oral or written warning notice, given in good faith, regarding conduct by a tenant, occupant, or guest that violates, may violate, or violated the applicable rental agreement, rules, regulations, lease, or laws, is not a violation of this section. An oral or written explanation of the rental agreement, rules, regulations, lease, or laws given in the normal course of business is not a violation of this section.
(d) This section does not enlarge or diminish a landlord’s right to terminate a tenancy pursuant to existing state or local law; nor does this section enlarge or diminish any ability of local government to regulate or enforce a prohibition against a landlord’s harassment of a tenant.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 489, Sec. 3. (AB 291) Effective January 1, 2018.)