Cal. Civ. Code § 1954.535
California Civil Code
Operative Text
Where an owner terminates or fails to renew a contract or recorded agreement with a governmental agency that provides for rent limitations to a qualified tenant, the tenant or tenants who were the beneficiaries of the contract or recorded agreement shall be given at least 90 days’ written notice of the effective date of the termination and shall not be obligated to pay more than the tenant’s portion of the rent, as calculated under the contract or recorded agreement to be terminated, for 90 days following receipt of the notice of termination of nonrenewal of the contract.
California Civil Code § 1954.535 addresses what happens when a property owner ends or declines to renew a government-assisted housing contract that caps rent for qualifying tenants. Under this rule, those tenants must receive at least 90 days' written notice before the termination takes effect. During that 90-day window following receipt of notice, the affected tenants are not required to pay more than the subsidized share of rent they were paying under the expiring contract or agreement.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators subject to Cal. Civ. Code § 1954.535 who choose to exit or not renew a government rent-limitation contract generally provide written termination notices to all qualifying tenant beneficiaries no fewer than 90 days before the termination date. During that 90-day period, compliant operators continue to accept only the tenant-portion amount established under the outgoing contract rather than charging the full market rate. Maintaining clear documentation of when each notice was delivered helps demonstrate adherence to the statutory timeline.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Cal. Civ. Code § 1954.535 gives tenants who benefit from a government rent-limitation contract the right to at least 90 days' written notice if their landlord is ending or not renewing that contract. For the 90 days following receipt of that notice, tenants are entitled to continue paying only the subsidized portion of rent defined in the contract, not any higher amount the landlord might otherwise seek. Tenants who believe this notice requirement or the rent-cap protection has not been honored may consider contacting a local tenant-rights organization, a housing agency, or exploring whether the issue can be raised as a defense in any related legal proceeding.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 3, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation