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AB 1157

Tenancy: just cause termination: rent increases.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mia Bonta and 10 co-sponsors

Strengthens tenant protections by imposing stricter no‑fault eviction limits and rent increases, extending protections indefinitely, and expands local enforcement for a motion‑pict

In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
#tenancy #justcausetermination #rentincreases
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Bill Summary · AB 1157

AB 1157 (Kalra) — Summary (Tenancy: just cause termination; rent increases; nuisance enforcement for motion pictures)

Status and procedural history
- Introduced: February 20, 2025.
- Committee activity: Referred to multiple Assembly committees; amended March 27. Passed out of Assembly Housing & Community Development (April 24) and re‑referred to Assembly Judiciary. Set for first hearing but hearing canceled at the request of the author (April 29, 2025).
- Current status: In committee (Judiciary).
- Note on timing: The bill as provided does not specify an emergency or other special effective date; if enacted as a general statute it would typically take effect January 1 following enactment unless otherwise specified.

Purpose / intent
- Strengthen and extend tenant protections (just‑cause termination rule and rent‑increase limits), narrow certain exemptions for those protections, and clarify/enlarge local enforcement authority related to a niche nuisance provision concerning motion pictures.

Key provisions and changes
1. Just‑cause termination (Civil Code §1946.2)
- Retains the core rule that owners may not terminate tenancies without “just cause” after a tenant has lawfully and continuously occupied a dwelling for 12 months (definitions of at‑fault and no‑fault just cause remain in the statute).
- Removes the exemption that allowed residential real property that is “alienable separate from the title to any other dwelling unit” (a category that previously sheltered some condominiums/units and other separately alienable units) from the just‑cause restrictions.
- Keeps a narrower exemption only for mobilehomes where specified owner criteria are met and tenants have been provided the required written notice.
- Deletes the current January 1, 2030 repeal date for these just‑cause provisions, making them indefinite.

  1. Rent increase (Costa‑Hawkins / rent cap related limitation)

    • Lowers the permissible 12‑month rent increase cap from “the lesser of (a) 5% plus the percentage change in the cost of living (CPI), or (b) 10%” to a stricter cap: “the lesser of (a) 2% plus the CPI change, or (b) 5%.”
    • Removes the exemption for separately alienable residential real property (as above) and retains only a mobilehome exemption if owner criteria and notice requirements are met.
    • Deletes the January 1, 2030 sunset for these rent‑increase limitations, extending them indefinitely.

  2. Initial rental rates after expiration of affordability restrictions

    • Removes the January 1, 2030 repeal for provisions that allow owners of certain affordable or assisted housing to set initial rents upon expiration of rental restrictions (including owner attestations under penalty of perjury). Extends those authorizations indefinitely.
    • By extending the owner attestation requirement for assisted housing developments, the bill is characterized as imposing a state‑mandated program.

  3. Nuisance enforcement (motion pictures)

    • Clarifies that county counsel, in addition to the district attorney or Attorney General, may commence an equitable action to abate and enjoin the exhibition of a motion picture that depicts an intentional killing or cruelty that actually occurred in production (i.e., expands enforcement authority to local counsels).

Who is affected
- Tenants: Strengthened protection against no‑fault evictions and smaller allowable rent increases statewide (subject to exemptions retained for qualifying mobilehomes and other statutory exceptions).
- Landlords/owners: Reduced allowable rent increase ceiling; lost exemption for properties “alienable separate” (affects some owners of individually alienable units); continued ability for certain affordable/assisted housing owners to set initial rent upon restriction expiration, but with ongoing attestation requirements.
- Mobilehome owners/parks: May continue to qualify for narrow exemptions if they meet statutory criteria and provide required notices.
- County counsels and local governments: Gain express authority to sue to abate the specified motion‑picture‑related nuisance.
- State and local budgets: Bill states “no reimbursement is required” for specified reasons. Extending the attestation requirement is noted as a state‑mandated program.

Potential impacts (summary)
- Likely to strengthen tenant protections and reduce the maximum allowed annual rent increases for covered units, potentially limiting revenue growth for landlords while stabilizing housing costs for tenants.
- Removing the “alienable separate” exemption broadens coverage of both the just‑cause and rent‑cap rules to more dwelling types (except qualifying mobilehomes).
- Extending provisions indefinitely removes the current legislative sunset, making these rules permanent unless later amended or repealed.
- Expanding enforcement authority (county counsel) creates an additional local enforcement tool for the narrow motion picture‑nuisance scenario.

For more detail
- The bill amends Civil Code §1946.2 and related statutory sections governing rent‑increase limits and initial rent setting after expiration of affordability restrictions; consult the full bill text and legislative digest for the exact statutory language and any cross‑references.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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