§4.09 Violation of Eviction or Rent Control Ordinance

Tenants may assert as an affirmative defense the landlord’s violation of a local rent control or eviction control ordinance. [See Nourafchan v Miner (1985) 169 CA3d 746, 753; Birkenfeld v City of Berkeley (1976) 17 C3d 129, 149; Minelian v Manzella (1989) 215 CA3d 457, 463–469.] But note that the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (CC §§1954.50 et seq) preempts local rent controls by implementing a vacancy decontrol policy, allowing landlords to set the initial rent for vacant units while still preserving the local authority to regulate or monitor the grounds for eviction. [See CC §1954.53(a), (e); Bullard v San Francisco Residential Rent Stabilization Bd. (2003) 106 CA4th 488, 489–490.]

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