Pasadena landlords who want to end a tenancy need a legally recognized reason to do it, and the city's Rent Stabilization Department is holding a free workshop Tuesday, July 14, to explain exactly what that means.
The session covers three areas that trip up property owners: which grounds qualify as legal cause for eviction, what notice procedures landlords must follow, and when relocation assistance kicks in. It starts at 6 p.m. at the Los Robles Building, 199 S. Los Robles Ave., first-floor conference room. Attendees can also join via Zoom at Bit.ly/MonthlyRSDWorkshops.
Why it matters
The rules carry real teeth. Under Pasadena's just cause regulations, revised January 15, 2026, any termination notice must be filed with the Rental Housing Board within three days of being served on the tenant. A landlord who skips that step hands the tenant a complete defense in an unlawful detainer case, according to the board's Chapter 4 regulations.
No-fault evictions, such as owner move-in, substantial repairs, or permanent withdrawal from the rental market, require a city permit before a landlord can even issue a termination notice.
There are additional protections for vulnerable tenants. Under the owner move-in provision, a landlord cannot evict a tenant who has lived in the unit at least five years and is 60 or older, disabled, or terminally ill, unless the landlord or qualifying relative moving in also meets those criteria and no other units are available on the property.
The bigger picture
The just cause protections stem from Article XVIII of the Pasadena City Charter, the voter-approved Measure H that passed in November 2022 with 53.8% support. The Rent Stabilization Department itself was created by the City Council in December 2023, with Director Helen Morales starting July 1, 2024, after a nationwide search.
The department now oversees more than 27,000 covered rental units in a city where nearly six in 10 households rent. Of those, 21,914 units had been registered as of fiscal year 2024-25, reflecting an 87% compliance rate in the first nine months of the 2025 rental registration cycle, according to the department's inaugural annual report.
Operations are funded entirely through the Rental Housing Fee paid by landlords at $238 per unit annually. The department's budget grew from roughly $4.7 million in fiscal year 2025 to $5.4 million in fiscal year 2026.
How to attend
The July 14 workshop is part of a monthly series the department holds on the second Tuesday of each month. Spanish interpretation is available.
Parking: Metered street parking is available on Euclid Avenue and Los Robles Avenue. Non-validated parking is available in the garage below the Rent Stabilization Department building, with the entrance on Cordova Street, and at the Paseo parking lot at 300 E. Colorado Blvd., with the main entrance on Green Street. Staff cannot validate parking.
For questions, contact the Rent Stabilization Department at (626) 744-7999 or [email protected].
