Gavin Newsom, the Democratic governor of California, signed a bill on Saturday that will strengthen the ability of tenants to be protected from eviction and address a gap in the legislation that has enabled landlords to avoid the state’s rent cap.
The action changed a historic 2019 law that established guidelines for evictions and set the rental fee cap at 5% plus the rate of inflation, with a 10% maximum.
Landlords may evict renters following the 2019 act for “at fault” or “no-fault” causes. Failure to settle the rent on time is one of the “at fault” explanations. Landlords can end leases under “no-fault” laws by stating that they must move into the rentals, make adjustments, or remove them from the rental market.