Kiri Suykry, Real Estate Broker · Keller Williams Huntington Beach · CA DRE #01408082 · (562) 276-8413
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The Part Other Agents Skip

The Long Beach rules that shape your sale — explained honestly.

The rules that govern occupied buildings aren't obstacles to hide from — they're facts that shape who your buyer is and what they'll pay. An owner who understands them negotiates from strength. Everything here is general educational information, carefully sourced and dated, and it is not legal advice — verify current requirements with a qualified attorney before acting.

Long Beach just cause & relocation (LBMC Chapter 8.99)

⚖ Educational summary — verify current law with a qualified attorney

Long Beach's Just Cause for Termination of Tenancies Ordinance (Municipal Code Chapter 8.99, adopted 2020) limits how tenancies of 12+ months can be ended and requires relocation payments for no-fault terminations. As summarized by the City: demolition or substantial remodel is reported at $4,500 or two months' rent, whichever is greater; other no-fault reasons (owner move-in, market withdrawal, government order) at one month's rent — with payment due within 15 days of the termination notice. Note: the older standalone relocation ordinance (former Chapter 8.97) was repealed in 2019, so any source still citing it is out of date. Why it matters to you: a buyer planning to renovate or clear units inherits these costs and procedures, which shapes their offer.

California AB 1482 — the statewide rent cap & just cause

⚖ Educational summary — verify current law with a qualified attorney

AB 1482 (the Tenant Protection Act of 2019) applies statewide, including Long Beach. It caps annual rent increases at 5% plus regional CPI, not to exceed 10% — for the Los Angeles metro the reported maximum is 8.0% for August 2025 through July 2026 — and adds just-cause rules once tenancy passes 12 (or 24) months. Buildings with a certificate of occupancy within a rolling 15-year window, and certain owner-occupied and single-family situations, may be exempt. The law is currently set to sunset January 1, 2030 unless extended. The exemption analysis is building-specific — confirm it with an attorney.

Long Beach has no local rent control

⚖ Educational summary — verify current law with a qualified attorney

Despite periodic advocacy, Long Beach has not enacted a local rent-stabilization ordinance as of 2026 — the only rent cap that applies is the statewide AB 1482 formula. This is genuinely relevant to buyers: it means rents can be adjusted to the AB 1482 ceiling rather than a stricter local cap. It's a point worth making clearly in a well-marketed sale.

Soft-story retrofit — voluntary in Long Beach (for now)

⚖ Educational summary — verify current law with a qualified attorney

Unlike the City of Los Angeles, Long Beach has not adopted a mandatory soft-story or seismic retrofit ordinance. The City runs a voluntary Building Seismic Resiliency Program and states there is currently no required-compliance timeline. It has identified roughly 3,100 potentially vulnerable buildings — generally pre-1978, wood-framed, three-or-more-unit structures with soft/weak/open-front walls. So this is not a current legal requirement, but it is a real pricing and due-diligence factor: buyers and their lenders weigh seismic risk and the possibility of a future mandate. Presenting a building's status honestly — retrofitted or not — removes a common source of buyer hesitation.

The short version

  • Relocation now lives in Chapter 8.99 — the old Chapter 8.97 was repealed in 2019.
  • AB 1482 is the governing rent cap in Long Beach; there is no local rent control.
  • Soft-story retrofit is voluntary in Long Beach, but still a pricing and diligence factor.
  • All of it is educational only — confirm current rules with a qualified attorney.
This guide is general educational information, deemed reliable but not guaranteed and possibly inaccurate. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice, and nothing here guarantees any sale price, timeline, or outcome. Verify all figures and current Long Beach / California requirements with your own qualified professionals before acting.

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By submitting, you agree to be contacted by Kiri Suykry / Keller Williams Huntington Beach about your Long Beach property. Educational purposes only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. No sale price, timeline, or outcome is guaranteed.