Long Beach Relocation Assistance 2026: Worked Examples
Updated: Oct 20
If you own rentals in Long Beach and need to end a tenancy for a no-fault reason, the city's Just Cause ordinance (Long Beach Municipal Code Chapter 8.99) tells you exactly what you owe. For most no-fault terminations, such as an owner move-in, it is one month's rent. For a substantial remodel or demolition, it is $4,500 or two months' rent, whichever is greater, paid within 15 calendar days of serving notice. Below we walk through the rules and five worked examples so you can budget before you serve anything. For the bigger picture on local rules, see our Long Beach property management guide.
Quick Answer
Who is covered: Tenants who have lawfully occupied the unit for 12 months (all tenants at 12 months, or one tenant at 24 months), unless the property is exempt.
Remodel or demolition: The greater of $4,500 or two months of the rent in effect when the notice is issued.
Other no-fault reasons: Owner or family move-in, Ellis Act withdrawal and government orders to vacate call for one month's rent.
Deadline: Pay within 15 calendar days of serving the notice, or waive the final month(s) of rent with advance written notice.
Penalties: Intentionally serving an invalid notice can bring a civil penalty of up to $15,000 plus attorney's fees.
How Long Beach Relocation Assistance Works
Long Beach adopted its Just Cause for Termination of Tenancies ordinance in 2020 and updated it in May 2024 to align with state law changes from SB 567, according to a City of Long Beach staff memo. The ordinance works alongside California's Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482), which separately requires one month of rent for no-fault terminations under Civil Code § 1946.2(d).
The practical rule: figure out the state amount and the Long Beach amount, and pay whichever is higher. For substantial remodels, Long Beach's number will almost always win.
The two Long Beach formulas
Substantial remodel or demolition: relocation equal to "two months' rent or $4,500, whichever is higher," per the city's Just Cause guide.
All other no-fault causes: "equivalent to one month's rent." That covers an owner or qualifying family member moving in, withdrawing the unit under the Ellis Act, and a court or government order requiring the tenant to vacate.
The city's substantial remodel notice specifies that rent means the tenant's rent in effect when the notice is issued, and the payment goes directly to the tenant.
Worked Calculation Examples
These examples use round, hypothetical rents to show the math. They are not market rent estimates.
Example 1: Remodel, rent below the floor
A one-bedroom rents for $1,950. Two months' rent is $3,900, which is less than $4,500. You owe $4,500.
Example 2: The break-even point
At $2,250 a month, two months' rent equals exactly $4,500. You owe $4,500. Any rent above $2,250 means the two-month figure controls.
Example 3: Remodel, rent above the floor
A two-bedroom rents for $2,700. Two months' rent is $5,400, which beats the floor. You owe $5,400.
Example 4: Owner move-in
You plan to move your parent into a unit renting for $2,400. This is a no-fault cause other than remodel, so the Long Beach amount is one month's rent, matching the state minimum. You owe $2,400.
Example 5: Remodeling a fourplex
A substantial remodel will displace all four households, with rents of $1,800, $2,100, $2,400 and $2,600. Calculate each unit separately:
$1,800 × 2 = $3,600, so the $4,500 floor applies
$2,100 × 2 = $4,200, so the $4,500 floor applies
$2,400 × 2 = $4,800
$2,600 × 2 = $5,200
Total relocation budget: $19,000, due within 15 days of serving the notices. Build this into your renovation budget before you pull the trigger.
Timing, Rent Waivers and Paperwork
The city's Just Cause guide says the landlord must pay within 15 calendar days of serving the notice. You can instead waive the final month(s) of rent, but you must notify the tenant of the waiver before that rent becomes due. On a remodel, make sure the waived rent adds up to the full amount owed; if two months' rent is below $4,500, a two-month waiver alone falls short. If a tenant accepts payment and does not move out, the guide notes you can seek to recover it in court.
Extra steps for substantial remodels
Obtain all necessary permits before serving the termination notice.
Include copies of the permits, a description of the work and its approximate duration in the notice.
Tell the tenant in writing about the right to relocation assistance or a rent waiver.
Provide the City with a list of all tenants whose tenancies will be terminated.
Confirm the work truly requires the tenant to vacate for at least 30 consecutive days. Cosmetic or minor repairs do not qualify.
Owner move-ins have their own follow-through rules: the 2024 update requires the owner or family member to live in the unit for 12 consecutive months, and an owner who fails the requirements may have to offer the unit back on the prior terms, as reported by the Long Beach Watchdog.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Paying only the state amount on a remodel termination. AB 1482's one month is a floor, not the Long Beach number. (Our AB 1482 exemption notice guide covers which homes fall under the state law.)
Using a future rent. Use the rent in effect when the notice is issued.
Missing the 15-day window. Calendar it the day you serve the notice.
Assuming exemption. Exemptions such as units with a certificate of occupancy issued within the last 15 years and certain owner-occupied properties are narrow; check the ordinance for your property.
Why owners work with Blue Current Estates
Blue Current Estates Co. (CA DRE #02317199) is a Torrance-based brokerage and property management company led by broker Manabu Kagiyama (DRE #01891208). We help Long Beach and South Bay owners plan renovations, budget for required payments and keep notices organized, and we care for every home as if it were our own. For legal questions, we work alongside your attorney rather than in place of one.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much relocation assistance does a Long Beach landlord owe for a substantial remodel?
The greater of $4,500 or two months of the tenant's rent in effect when the termination notice is issued. At rents of $2,250 or less, the $4,500 floor controls.
How much is owed for an owner move-in in Long Beach?
For no-fault reasons other than substantial remodel or demolition, the city's guide states the amount is equivalent to one month's rent.
When does the relocation payment have to be made?
Within 15 calendar days of serving the termination notice. Instead of a direct payment, the owner can waive the final month(s) of rent, but must tell the tenant in writing before that rent comes due.
Does Long Beach's rule replace AB 1482's one-month payment?
No. State law sets a baseline of one month's rent for no-fault terminations, and Long Beach requires more for substantial remodels. Owners should calculate both and pay the higher amount.
Did Long Beach change the relocation amounts in 2026?
Not as of October 2026. Tenant advocates asked for higher relocation assistance at a May 2026 committee hearing, but the committee made no recommendation to change the ordinance.
Related Reading
Planning a Remodel or Move-In? Start With the Numbers
Before you serve a notice, know your relocation costs, your timeline and what the unit could rent for once the work is done. Request a free rental analysis for your Long Beach or South Bay property, or call (310) 243-6564 to talk it through.
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements with an attorney or the relevant city.
Sources: City of Long Beach Just Cause Guide (Aug. 2024); City of Long Beach Notice to Owners Regarding Substantial Remodel; City of Long Beach Memo, Oct. 14, 2024; Long Beach Municipal Code Chapter 8.99; California Attorney General, Tenant Protection Act guide; California Apartment Association, May 2026; Long Beach Watchdog, May 2024.
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