Cal. Civ. Code § 17980.3
California Health and Safety Code
Operative Text
(a) Any receiver appointed pursuant to this section shall have all of the powers and duties conferred by this section, and Sections 17980.1 and 17980.2, and shall have the powers and duties of a receiver appointed in an action to foreclose a mortgage on real property, as provided in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 564) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure. The receiver, with all reasonable speed, shall remedy the unsafe condition and remove all the delinquent matters and deficiencies in the building, as specified in the abatement order. Unless otherwise ordered by the court, the receiver shall have the power to let contracts therefor or incur expenses in accordance with the provisions of local laws, ordinances, rules, or regulations applicable to contracts for public works. (b) If the conditions of the premises and repairs thereto significantly interfere with the peaceful enjoyment or safe and sanitary use of the premises by any tenant, the receiver shall arrange for comparable temporary housing which is decent, safe, and sanitary for each tenant required to be relocated. The receiver shall pay relocation costs to each tenant as provided in Section 7262 of the Government Code. The costs shall be limited to the time that the premises are being repaired. The receiver shall mail to the owner and tenants at least 30 days prior to completion of the repairs a notice that the unit will be available for occupancy. The tenant shall have 14 days from the date the receiver’s notification was mailed to notify the landlord of his or her intent to reoccupy the dwelling unit. The tenant shall have seven days to reoccupy the unit once the unit is deemed habitable. Failure of the tenant to notify the owner and receiver of the tenant’s intent to reoccupy the unit shall extinguish this right to reoccupy. (c) The receiver shall be entitled to the same fees, commissions, and necessary expenses as receivers in actions to foreclose mortgages. These fees and commissions shall be paid into any fund created pursuant to Section 17980.5. The receiver shall be liable only in the receiver’s official capacity for injury to person and property by reason of conditions of the premises in a case where an owner would have been liable. The receiver shall not be liable in the receiver’s personal capacity. Upon the request of the receiver, the enforcement agency or the department, or both, shall make their personnel and facilities available to the receiver for the purpose of carrying out the receiver’s duties as the receiver, and the cost of these services shall be deemed a necessary expense of the receiver. (d) The receiver shall be discharged upon rendering a full and complete accounting to the court when the condition has been removed and the cost thereof and all other costs authorized by this section have been paid, reimbursed, or made subject to a lien pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 17980.2, or any combination of these. Upon the removal of the condition, the owner, the mortgagee, or any lienor may apply for the discharge of the receiver of all moneys not expended by the receiver for removal of the condition and all other costs authorized by this section.
Cal. Health & Safety Code § 17980.3 establishes the authority and responsibilities of a court-appointed receiver tasked with correcting serious housing code violations at a residential property. The receiver steps into a role similar to a foreclosure receiver, gaining broad powers to contract for repairs, arrange temporary housing for displaced tenants, and cover relocation costs — all with the goal of bringing the property into compliance with an abatement order. The receiver's role ends when the court accepts a full accounting and all associated costs have been paid, reimbursed, or secured by a lien. Throughout the process, the receiver's liability is limited to their official capacity, not personal assets.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Cal. Health & Safety Code § 17980.3, once a receiver is appointed over a property, the owner's control over repair decisions and contracting is effectively displaced by the receiver's court-backed authority. Compliant property operators generally avoid receivership altogether by responding promptly to abatement orders and maintaining habitability standards before court intervention becomes necessary. If a receiver is appointed, the owner should be aware that costs incurred — including tenant relocation expenses and receiver fees — can be secured as a lien against the property, and the owner may petition the court for the receiver's discharge once conditions are remedied and costs are resolved.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Cal. Health & Safety Code § 17980.3 gives tenants meaningful protections when a receiver is appointed to fix serious conditions at their building, including the right to comparable temporary housing that is decent, safe, and sanitary if repairs significantly disrupt their use of the premises, along with relocation cost payments. Tenants should be aware of two critical deadlines: they have 14 days from the date the receiver mails notice of repair completion to notify the landlord of their intent to return, and then 7 days to actually reoccupy once the unit is deemed habitable — missing the notification deadline extinguishes the right to return. Tenants who believe these protections are not being honored may consider reaching out to their local enforcement agency, a tenant-rights organization, or reviewing options available through the court overseeing the receivership.
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.
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