Long Beach has its own Just Cause for Termination of Tenancies Ordinance under LBMC Chapter 8.99. The city states that the ordinance is intended to prevent arbitrary or discriminatory evictions and requires landlords to terminate tenancies only for legally defined reasons. Source

The city also states that the ordinance applies to most rental properties in Long Beach, protects tenants who have continuously and lawfully lived in the rental unit for 12 months or more, and includes listed exemptions. It works alongside AB 1482 by adding notice and relocation requirements in certain no-fault situations. Source

Property management impact: Before serving a termination notice, managers should confirm whether the reason qualifies as at-fault or no-fault just cause, whether the unit is exempt, whether the tenant has reached the protection threshold, and whether relocation or notice requirements apply.

For terminations connected to substantial remodel or demolition, Long Beach directs property owners to follow the city’s substantial-remodel-related tenant displacement process under the Just Cause for Termination of Tenancies Ordinance. Source

For tenancy terminations due to demolition or substantial remodel, Long Beach states that tenants are entitled to $4,500 or two months of rent, whichever is greater. For other no-fault just-cause terminations, relocation assistance is generally one month of rent, and the landlord may pay the tenant or waive the last month’s rent. Relocation assistance must be provided within 15 calendar days of issuing the written termination notice. Source

Property management impact: Renovation planning in Long Beach should start with legal, permitting, and relocation review before tenant notices are served. Owners should document the permitted scope of work, required notices, relocation obligations, and construction timelines.

Long Beach adopted a Tenant Harassment Ordinance under Long Beach Municipal Code Chapter 8.101. The ordinance was created to deter harassing behavior by residential property owners, encourage owners to follow the law, and reinforce the duty to provide habitable rental properties.

The ordinance materials identify reported harassment concerns such as interruption or termination of housing services, failure to timely perform unit maintenance, abuse of unit access rights, improper notices to vacate, refusing lawful rent, and attempts to pressure tenants to leave through fraud, misrepresentation, intimidation, or coercion.

Property management impact: Communication quality matters. Property managers should keep clean records of maintenance responses, notices, rent payments, access requests, tenant complaints, and vendor work to reduce the risk that ordinary management actions are later characterized as coercive, retaliatory, or harassing.

Long Beach operates the Proactive Rental Housing Inspection Program, or PRHIP, to safeguard decent, safe, and sanitary rental housing. The city states that PRHIP is designed to maintain livability standards, protect against blight, and secure citywide compliance through enforcement of the Long Beach Municipal Code. Source

The city also identifies tenant responsibilities under PRHIP, including keeping a clean and sanitary rental home, properly disposing of trash, properly operating electrical, gas, and plumbing fixtures, avoiding damage or defacement, reporting problems, and cooperating with repair workers or pest control operators. Source

Property management impact: Long Beach rental owners should keep units inspection-ready through routine maintenance, documented repair tracking, code-compliant work, and regular property condition reviews. This is especially important for older multifamily properties and buildings with repeated maintenance complaints.

California Civil Code § 1941.1 requires rental housing to meet basic habitability standards, including effective waterproofing, working plumbing and gas facilities, hot and cold running water, working heating, safe electrical systems, clean common areas, adequate garbage receptacles, and floors, stairways, and railings maintained in good repair. Source

Beginning with leases entered into, amended, or extended on or after January 1, 2026, California law also requires most covered rental units to include a working stove and refrigerator, with limited exceptions and specific rules for tenant-provided refrigerators. Source

Property management impact: For Property Management in Long Beach, CA, habitability should be treated as a standing compliance program, not just an emergency repair issue. Managers should document repair requests, appliance condition, vendor work, permit history, inspections, and tenant communications.

California security deposit law applies to Long Beach rentals. For most residential tenancies, landlords generally may not demand a security deposit greater than one month’s rent, in addition to the first month’s rent paid before occupancy. A limited small-landlord exception allows up to two months’ rent under specific conditions, but that exception does not apply when the prospective tenant is a service member. Deposits collected or demanded before July 1, 2024 are not governed by the newer one-month cap. Source

Landlords must return the remaining deposit or provide an itemized statement within 21 calendar days after the tenant vacates. For tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025, landlords must take move-in photographs, and beginning April 1, 2025, landlords must take move-out and post-repair or post-cleaning photographs when claiming deductions. Source

Property management impact: Deposit disputes are often documentation disputes. Long Beach property managers should use detailed move-in photos, move-out photos, invoices, repair receipts, cleaning records, and clear itemized statements to support lawful deductions.