Study: California ranks third among worst renter states (2024)

FAQs

Study: California ranks third among worst renter states? ›

California has more renters than any state, more tenants per unit and some of the nation's highest rents. That puts it among the worst places for renters in the U.S., according to a new study.

California is generally a landlord-friendly state where landlords can charge rental application fees (maximum of $50) and collect security deposits. Make sure to always check local area laws along with state laws to ensure you're fully educated.

Vermont ranked first among the renter-friendly states, followed closely by Delaware and Hawaii who were tied for second place. Rhode Island, Arizona, D.C., Maine and Alaska Statutes also seem to take good care of their renters according to our analysis.

Tenant Rights and Responsibilities

According to California landlord-tenant laws, tenants have the right to live in safe, habitable rental units, as well as sue the landlord for retaliation, withhold rent for failure to provide essential services, recover attorney's fees, and more.

The state laws and regulations in West Virginia and Arkansas were the least friendly to renters. The other states with the least favorable legal regulations and landlord-tenant laws were North Carolina, Ohio, Colorado, Idaho, Georgia, Louisiana, Wyoming, and Mississippi.

Under the Fair Housing Act, it's illegal for landlords to discriminate against a prospective tenant based on sex, race, color, national origin, religion, familial status, or disability.

Under California law, the only lawful way to evict a tenant is to file a case in court. As a tenant, you have a right to remain in your home until a court orders you to move out.

In California, you may also evict a tenant if: The tenant stays after the lease is up and refuses to leave voluntarily after being given the proper notice to move, or. The landlord terminates the rental agreement for a valid reason and the tenant refuses to leave on his or her own after being given the proper notice.

What state has the most evictions? ›

More than 900,000 renter households were evicted from their homes each year. South Carolina experienced the highest eviction rate of any state (6.2 percent) with an average of 26,430 evictions per year. Other states with high eviction rates include Arizona, Virginia, and Delaware.

The study analyzed the U.S. Census Bureau housing data of more than 300 cities with a population of 100,000 or more and conducted a survey of over 1,000 people from around the country in November. Newark, New Jersey, has the most, with more than 79% of residents renting.

Limits on Rent Increases

The Tenant Protection Act caps rent increases for most tenants in California. Landlords cannot raise rent annually more than 5% plus inflation according to the regional Consumer Price Index, for a maximum increase of 10% each year.

The maximum amount you can sue your landlord for in California is known as the small claims limit, which is $10,000. If you are owed more than $10,000, you can still sue in small claims, but you agree to waive any additional amount you are owed.

The landlord must give you 24-hour advance written notice before entering. The notice should state a specific time of entry, which must be during normal business hours.

Vermont, Delaware and Hawaii topped the list for laws benefiting renters over landlords, with Georgia, West Virginia and Arkansas at the bottom.

Despite not having an extremely low rate, Florida is still a landlord-friendly state due to its favorable security deposit and eviction laws. There are no state-wide rent control ordinances in Florida. Like in all other states, landlords in Florida cannot increase rent if a tenant is on a standard fixed-term lease.

Looking at data from 2019, we see the highest rates of eviction across the Inland Empire (37 per 1,000 renters in Riverside County, 42 in San Bernardino County) and the Central Valley (36 per 1,000 in Calaveras County, 30 in San Joaquin County).

Bad Tenant Lists Are Illegal

Privacy laws prohibit rental property owners and managers from creating or maintaining such lists. Without the proper measures in place, a list that singles out delinquent renters can lead to discrimination. This is true even if the list's intent is to protect Landlords from abuse.

How much can landlords raise rent in states without rent control? ›

In most areas without rent control, there's no limit on the amount your landlord can increase the rent.

Your rights as a tenant in California include:

Refundable security deposits. The right to information (about mold, utilities, etc.) The right to make claims in small claims court. Rent control.

You can sue a landlord in small claims court over unsafe living conditions or for violating your state's implied warranty of habitability. Warranty of habitability means that regardless of any opposing lease term, your landlord is required to keep your unit in a habitable condition at all times.

Apartment security camera laws in California law prohibit recording in any location where tenants have a reasonable expectation of privacy. These locations include restrooms, locker rooms, private changing areas, and inside an apartment. Landlords also cannot use cameras to monitor a tenant's private life.

3-day Notice to Perform Covenants or Quit (Fix a problem or move out) A landlord can use this kind of Notice if their tenant isn't following the rental agreement or lease, and the problem can be fixed. For example, the tenant has a pet and the lease says "no pets," or the tenant is bothering neighbors with loud noise.

If your landlord evicts you for one of these reasons, they must first give you one month's rent or waive one month's rent to help you move out. What notice does the landlord have to provide me?

Notice for nonpayment of rent.

If the tenant doesn't pay rent when it is due, the landlord can give the tenant a three-day notice to pay rent or quit (move out). This notice informs the tenant that the tenant has three days to pay rent in full or move out.

A landlord can use a 30 day-notice to end a month-to-month tenancy if the tenant has been renting for less than a year. A landlord should use a 60-day notice if the tenant has been renting for more than one year and the landlord wants the tenant to move out.

If your lease expires, the landlord has to provide you with a 30-day, 60-day, or 90-day notice to leave, depending on how long you've been renting and if you're in subsidized housing. If you've been renting for less than a year, the landlord only needs to give you 30 days' notice.

Who has highest eviction rate in America? ›

Data shows Black Americans, and especially Black women with children, face the highest rates of eviction, according to the Eviction Lab.

Our report, California Evictions are Fast and Frequent, alongside the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project's interactive data map, shows that the majority of eviction cases are resolved within a month, in contrast to the claims of landlord lobbyists who oppose commonsense tenant protections in Sacramento.

California had the most renting households with 5.73 million, or 13.6 percent of the nation's 42 million rental homes.

The most expensive rental market in the US remains to be New York. The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom is roughly $3,260. This is about a $500 decrease from 2021, however as demand continues to increase prices are likely to follow.

How much is renters insurance in California? The average cost of renters insurance in California is $204 a year, or approximately $17 a month. That's higher than the national average of $179 a year. Los Angeles is one of the most expensive areas for renters insurance in California, with an average cost of $221 a year.

While renters insurance is not required by law in California, some landlords may require it for you to live in their building. It's generally a good idea to have at least some form of coverage as your landlord's insurance is not liable for any damage to your personal property.

The highest percentage of renters in the U.S. can be found on the East Coast. Newark, New Jersey ranks number one with 79.15%.

Hawaii has the highest average rent in the United States at $2,399 a month. The asking rent for a typical unit in Hawaii is even higher, with vacant units asking $2,850 for new renters. Average rents in Honolulu cost an average of $2,528.

Moody Analytics expects rent price growth of 2.5% to 3% for 2023. Barring a recession or unforeseen events, rent prices are expected to grow annually by a range of 3% to 4% in 2024 and 2025, says LaSalvia. That's roughly the same rate that prices grew in the years leading up to the pandemic.

Can you evict a senior citizen in California? ›

States like California has laws to protect the elderly tenants. If you decide to evict an elderly tenant, check with your attorney first to ensure that you are well within your rights. You will need to prove to the court that you tried your best to help the elderly tenant.

For rent-controlled units, the annual allowable increase amount effective March 1, 2023 through February 29, 2024 is 3.6%.

The California Health & Safety Code (HSC §17920.3) says that when dampness or visible mold (or certain other conditions) in a home is a hazard to the health of occupants, the home is substandard and the property owner must fix the conditions.

California tenants are responsible for repair costs under certain circ*mstances, including but not limited to: California tenants must pay for repairs to damage they caused. California Civil Code §§ 1929, 1941.2; California tenants must pay for repairs to their property kept in the rental unit.

Landlords are prohibited from doing the following acts if done to harass the tenant: Taking away services provided in the lease (housing services). Refusing to do required repairs. Entering the apartment without proper notice. Threatening a tenant with physical harm.

Are texts considered written notice? If you want texts to be legally binding between both parties, that agreement must be set up beforehand and must be in writing.

Part of this covenant protects your privacy as outlined in your state's laws. For example, in California, the law states that a landlord must provide written notice before entering your property. If they don't, they are in violation of your lease, oral or written.

A staggering 9.7 percent of Black renter households and 8.7 percent of Hispanic households reported that they were very likely to be evicted in the next two months. This is significantly higher than what white (4.4 percent) and Asian (3.7 percent) households reported.

Which USA city has the cheapest rent? ›

Newark, New Jersey, has the most, with more than 79% of residents renting. Three other New Jersey cities were also home to the most renters.

Toledo, Ohio is the most affordable city in the U.S. for rent with an average rent price of $550.

Florida law prohibits landlords from evicting tenants without going through the court system (self-help evictions). Your landlord can't evict you without a judge's order. And if the sheriff shows up to evict you, he also must have a court order.

Bottom line is a landlord cannot harass you, or bully you, into paying rent. As a tenant you are not to be abused by your landlord. Landlord harassment is a serious matter that you should seek legal counsel for.

However, Florida's laissez-faire mentality and business-friendly atmosphere are part of what attracts many individuals to live there. Therefore, in general, the state steers clear of laws that would restrict normal market movements, such as rent control.