The LA Rent Stabilization Ordinance, in plain English.

The LARSO applies to a unit if all of the following are true:

• The building is inside the City of Los Angeles.
• The building has two or more units on the same parcel.
• The building’s certificate of occupancy was issued before October 1, 1978.
• The unit is not owner-occupied.
• The unit is not otherwise exempt.

The most reliable check: look up your address in the LA Housing Department’s RSO database at housing.lacity.gov.

The rough rule of thumb: if you live in an apartment building inside the City of LA that’s at least 47 years old and has at least two units, you’re probably in an RSO unit. Single-family homes inside the City of LA are usually NOT RSO-covered, even if pre-1978.

As of February 2026, the maximum allowable rent increase for an RSO-covered unit is 3 percent in any 12-month period. The previous law allowed an additional 1 percent for gas-and-electric utility pass-through; that was removed in the 2025 LARSO update.

• One increase per 12 months. Your landlord can’t raise your rent twice in a year.
• Written notice required, in a specific form.
• At least 30 days’ notice, plus an additional 5 days if served by mail.
• No banking past surplus. Recent updates tightly limit a landlord’s ability to "save up" unused increases.

If your landlord raised your rent more than 3 percent in 2026 on an RSO-covered unit, the increase above the cap is almost certainly invalid.

Under the LARSO, your landlord can only ask you to leave for a specific legal reason, called a just cause ground.

At-fault just cause

1. Failure to pay rent.
2. Material violation of the lease.
3. Commission of nuisance or waste on the property.
4. Refusal to give the landlord access for permitted purposes.
5. Use of the unit for illegal purposes.
6. Termination of employment as a resident manager.

No-fault just cause

1. Owner or close-relative move-in (subject to strict rules and minimum stay).
2. Compliance with a government order to vacate.
3. Substantial remodel (with strict scope rules).
4. Demolition.
5. Withdrawal from the rental market under the Ellis Act.
6. Conversion to affordable housing.

A no-fault eviction under the RSO requires relocation assistance. Amounts in 2026 range from roughly $10,000 to over $25,000 depending on tenant category and length of tenancy.

The most common LARSO violations we see:

• The landlord raised the rent more than 3 percent in 2026.
• The landlord didn’t give written notice in the required form.
• The landlord served a notice without a just-cause ground.
• The landlord skipped the LARSO registration step on a no-fault eviction.
• The landlord offered a buyout without the required LARSO Disclosure Notice.
• The landlord claimed an exemption that doesn’t actually apply.
• The landlord raised rent after a tenant complained.

1. Save the evidence. Notice, envelope, communications, rent history.
2. File a complaint with LAHD. Free, public, and inspectors will investigate.
3. Talk to a tenant attorney. A free call will tell you whether you have a case.