East Palo Alto · Renting & eviction

Harassment and lockouts in East Palo Alto

City rule: bad-faith acts such as cutting services, threats or refusing lawful rent are harassment, and tenants can sue for damages.

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Key points

Harassment: City rule: bad-faith acts such as cutting services, threats or refusing lawful rent are harassment, and tenants can sue for damages.

Each rule below links to the section of the East Palo Alto Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What East Palo Alto's code says

East Palo Alto code What East Palo Alto's code adds
Penalties	The tenant can sue for actual and punitive damages and a court order. Applies: Harassment under the city's rent stabilization and just cause eviction rules. § 14.04.170 · code text it may serve as the basis for an affirmative action by the tenant for actual and punitive damages and injunctive relief.
Tenant lawsuits	Yes, tenants can sue. Applies: Harassment under the city's rent stabilization and just cause eviction rules. § 14.04.170 · code text Such harassment shall be a defense to an action to recover possession, or it may serve as the basis for an affirmative action by the tenant for actual and punitive damages and injunctive relief.
Prohibited acts	In bad faith: interrupting, terminating, or failing to provide required housing services, including curtailing utilities, impeding reasonable access, or removing doors or windows without timely replacement § 14.02.100 · code text No landlord, and no agent or employee of the landlord, shall do any of the following in bad faith: Not doing required repairs or maintenance, or threatening not to. Applies: When done in bad faith by the landlord or the landlord's agent or employee. § 14.02.100 · code text B. Fail to perform repairs or maintenance, or threaten to fail to perform repairs or maintenance required by contract or by state, county or local housing, health or safety laws. Not using due diligence to complete repairs or maintenance, or not following industry repair containment or remediation protocols. Applies: When done in bad faith by the landlord or the landlord's agent or employee. § 14.02.100 · code text C. Fail to exercise due diligence in completing repairs or maintenance once undertaken or fail to follow appropriate industry repair containment or remediation protocols designed to minimize exposure to noise, dust, lead paint, mold, asbestos, or other building materials with potentially harmful health impacts. Abusing or threatening to abuse the right to enter, or removing tenant belongings without written consent. Applies: Entry abuse in bad faith; belongings removed without prior written consent, unless done under the state's legal procedure. § 14.02.100 · code text D. Abuse the landlord's right of access or threaten to abuse the landlord's right of access into a rental unit as that right is provided by law. Pressuring a tenant to move out through threats, fraud, intimidation or coercion. Applies: When done in bad faith by the landlord or the landlord's agent or employee. § 14.02.100 · code text E. Influence or attempt to influence a tenant to vacate a rental unit through threats, fraud, intimidation or coercion. Offering money to move out along with threats or intimidation. Applies: When done in bad faith by the landlord or the landlord's agent or employee. § 14.02.100 · code text F. Attempt to coerce the tenant to vacate with offer(s) of payments to vacate which are accompanied with threats or intimidation. Threatening the tenant with physical harm by words or gestures. Applies: When done in bad faith by the landlord or the landlord's agent or employee. § 14.02.100 · code text G. Threaten the tenant, by word or gesture, with physical harm. Violating any law that prohibits discrimination based on actual or perceived race, gender, gender orientation, sexual orientation, ethnic background, nationality, place of birth, immigration or citizenship status, religion, age, parenthood, marriage, pregnancy, disability, AIDS, or minor or student/nonstudent occupancy status Applies: when done in bad faith by the landlord or the landlord's agent or employee § 14.02.100 · code text H. Violate any law which prohibits discrimination based on actual or perceived race, gender, gender orientation, sexual orientation, ethnic background, nationality, place of birth, immigration or citizenship status, religion, age, parenthood, marriage, pregnancy, disability, AIDS or minor or student/nonstudent occupancy status. Interfering with, or threatening to interfere with, the tenant's quiet use and enjoyment of the unit. Applies: When done in bad faith by the landlord or the landlord's agent or employee. § 14.02.100 · code text I. Interfere with a tenant's right to quiet use and enjoyment, or threaten to interfere with a tenant's right of quiet use and enjoyment, of a rental unit as that right is defined by California law. Refusing to accept or acknowledge a tenant's lawful rent payment. Applies: When done in bad faith by the landlord or the landlord's agent or employee. § 14.02.100 · code text J. Refuse to accept or acknowledge receipt of a tenant's lawful rent payment. Not cashing a rent check for more than 30 days. Applies: When done in bad faith by the landlord or the landlord's agent or employee. § 14.02.100 · code text K. Refuse to cash a rent check for over thirty (30) days. Calling or threatening to call immigration authorities, unless the law requires it. Applies: When done in bad faith by the landlord or the landlord's agent or employee. § 14.02.100 · code text L. Call or threaten to call immigration authorities, except as otherwise required by law. Asking for information state law forbids, such as immigration or citizenship status. Applies: When done in bad faith by the landlord or the landlord's agent or employee. § 14.02.100 · code text M. Request information or documentation that violates Civil Code Section 1940.3, including but not limited to, immigration or citizenship status. Other repeated acts or omissions substantially interfering with occupancy comfort, repose, peace, or quiet and causing, likely to cause, or intended to cause a person to vacate or surrender or waive occupancy rights Applies: when done in bad faith by the landlord or the landlord's agent or employee § 14.02.100 · code text N. Other repeated acts or omissions of such significance as to substantially interfere with or disturb the comfort, repose, peace or quiet of any person lawfully entitled to occupancy of such rental unit Charging for parking the city required as part of the development. Applies: In bad faith; tenancies starting after June 1, 2014; only parking beyond the city's requirement may be charged, and the landlord must prove it. § 14.02.100 · code text O. For any tenancies commencing after June 1, 2014, charge for the parking required by the city as a part of the development. Taking specified possession, termination, service, service-reduction, rent-payment, or quiet-enjoyment actions as part of an attempt to increase rent above the maximum allowable rent Applies: Rent-stabilized units; actions taken as part of an attempt to increase rent above the maximum allowable rent permitted under this chapter § 14.04.170 · code text No landlord may threaten to bring, or bring, an action to recover possession, cause the tenant to quit the unit involuntarily, serve any notice to quit or notice of termination of tenancy, decrease any services, refuse to accept or acknowledge receipt of a tenant's lawful rent payment pursuant to this chapter, or interfere with the tenant's quiet enjoyment of the rental unit and common areas as part of an attempt to increase the rent above the maximum allowable rent permitted under this chapter

The California rule underneath

Where East Palo Alto's rule above does not cover a situation, state law still applies. For the statewide rule on its own, see Tenant harassment and lockouts in California.

CA state law The statewide rule underneath
Lockouts and self-help eviction banned	A landlord may not change locks, remove doors or windows, or remove the tenant's belongings to force a tenant out Civ. Code § 789.3(b)
Utility shutoffs banned	A landlord may not cut off water, heat, electricity, gas or other utilities to force a tenant out Civ. Code § 789.3(a)
Lockout / shutoff penalty	Actual damages plus up to $100 per day of violation, at least $250 per cause of action, and attorney's fees Civ. Code § 789.3(c), (d)

Who this affects

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General information, not legal advice.

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