What Culver City Landlords & Tenants Need to Know: Relocation Assistance & Buyout Agreements

The City Council adopted its permanent Rent Control Ordinance and permanent Tenant Protections Ordinance on September 29, 2020. Both went into effect on October 30, 2020. Culver City’s Rent Control and Tenant Protections ordinances provide tenants with housing rights, including opportunities for relocation assistance if evicted and special rules for tenant buyout agreements.

Relocation assistance is available to qualifying evicted tenants in the form of three times current rent or market rent, whichever is greater, plus $1,000.

An evicted tenant would not qualify for relocation assistance if:

- They received notice prior to entering a rental agreement that the property owner and/or landlord filed plans with the City to subdivide the property or convert the building.
- Their landlord evicted them in compliance with government or court order to vacate due to a natural disaster.
- They’re evicted on “for cause grounds,” which includes failure to pay rent, breaching their rental agreement, failure to provide reasonable access to their unit, using the unit to create a nuisance or for an illegal purpose or if the tenant was the resident manager who has been terminated.

If an evicted tenant qualifies for relocation assistance, their landlord may deduct past due rent—with the exception of back rent built up during the City’s Residential Tenant Eviction Moratorium period—as well as costs to cover extraordinary wear and tear. “Small landlords” who own three or fewer units only need to pay 50% of relocation assistance if they are pursuing a “no fault” termination for occupancy by the landlord or landlord’s family as primary place of residence.

Landlords must follow the steps detailed below and in Culver City Municipal Code Section 15.09.335 (Tenant Buyout Agreements) when seeking buyout agreements.

Before a landlord can make a buyout offer, they must provide their tenant with a written disclosure that has been approved by the Housing Division. The disclosure must specify tenants’ rights throughout the buyout agreements process, such as:

- The tenant’s right not to enter into buyout negotiations or a buyout agreement;
- The tenant’s choice to consult with an attorney before entering into a buyout agreement;
- The tenant’s option to rescind the buyout agreement for up to 45 days after it is fully executed;
- The tenant’s ability to contact the Housing Division for information about other buyout agreements in the tenant's neighborhood and other relevant information;
- Any other information required by the Housing Division consistent with the City’s municipal code;
- A space for tenant to sign and write the date the landlord provided the tenant with the disclosure.

If a tenant wants to enter into a buyout agreement with their landlord, the landlord must specify tenant rights within the buyout agreement. Additionally, the buyout agreement must be written in the tenant’s primary language, bold lettering and minimum size 14 font next to the space for the tenant’s signature. Additionally, landlords must provide tenants with a copy of a fully-executed buyout agreement and include a buyout amount that is no less than Culver City’s required relocation assistance: three times current rent or market rent (whichever is greater), plus $1,000.

Tenants have 45 days to rescind their buyout agreement by hand-delivering, emailing or mailing a statement to the landlord stating they are rescinding the buyout agreement.

Landlords must file a copy of the executed buyout agreement, along with the disclosure notice, with the Culver City Housing Division within 20 days of finalizing the buyout agreement.

For more information about a specific situation, tenants and landlords can reference Culver City Municipal Code Section 15.09.200, et seq. (Rent Control) and Section 15.09.300, et seq. (Tenant Protections). They may also contact the Culver City Housing Division by email at [email protected], via phone (310) 253-5790 or by visiting the Division Office on the second floor of City Hall at 9770 Culver Boulevard.

Residents, landlords and property owners can learn more about these ordinances and read the full Rent Control & Tenant Protections Summary on the City's permanent rent control and tenant protections webpage.