Emeryville · Renting & eviction

Harassment and lockouts in Emeryville

Emeryville bars bad-faith harassment, such as cutting housing services, threats, or buyout offers more often than once every 6 months.

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Key points

Harassment: Emeryville bars bad-faith harassment, such as cutting housing services, threats, or buyout offers more often than once every 6 months.

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

What Emeryville's code says

Emeryville code What Emeryville's code adds
Prohibited acts	Interrupting or failing to provide, or threatening to, the housing services in the rental agreement. Applies: When done in bad faith, with an ulterior motive, or without honest intent. § 5-40.05 · code text Interrupt, fail to provide, or threaten to interrupt or fail to provide any housing services under the rental agreement, including but not limited to utility services and other amenities and services agreed to by contract; Failing to make repairs or maintenance required by contract or by state, county or local housing, health or safety laws. Applies: When done in bad faith, with an ulterior motive, or without honest intent. § 5-40.05 · code text 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 finish repairs and maintenance once started. Applies: When done in bad faith, with an ulterior motive, or without honest intent. § 5-40.05 · code text Fail to exercise due diligence to complete repairs and maintenance once undertaken, including the failure to follow industry-appropriate safety standards and protocols; Abusing or improperly using the landlord's right to enter the property. Applies: When done in bad faith, with an ulterior motive, or without honest intent. § 5-40.05 · code text Abuse or otherwise improperly use landlord's right to access the property; Removing the tenant's personal property from the unit. Applies: When done in bad faith, with an ulterior motive, or without honest intent. § 5-40.05 · code text Remove personal property of the tenant(s) from the rental unit; Trying to get tenants to move out through fraud, intimidation or coercion, including threats about immigration status. Applies: When done in bad faith, with an ulterior motive, or without honest intent. § 5-40.05 · code text Influence or attempt to influence the tenant(s) to vacate the unit by means of fraud, intimidation, or coercion (including but not limited to threats based on immigration status); Offering payment or other consideration to move out more often than once every 6 months. Applies: When done in bad faith, with an ulterior motive, or without honest intent. § 5-40.05 · code text Offer payment or any other consideration, in return for the tenant(s) vacating the unit, more often than once every six (6) months; Threatening tenants with physical harm by word or gesture. Applies: When done in bad faith, with an ulterior motive, or without honest intent. § 5-40.05 · code text Threaten the tenant(s) by word or gesture with physical harm; Interfering with tenants' right to quiet use and enjoyment of the unit. Applies: When done in bad faith, with an ulterior motive, or without honest intent. § 5-40.05 · code text Interfere with the tenant(s) right to quiet use and enjoyment of the rental unit; Refusing to accept or acknowledge lawful rent. Applies: When done in bad faith, with an ulterior motive, or without honest intent. § 5-40.05 · code text Refuse to accept or acknowledge receipt of lawful rent from the tenant(s); Not cashing a rent check for over 30 days. Applies: When done in bad faith, with an ulterior motive, or without honest intent. § 5-40.05 · code text Refuse to cash a rent check for over thirty (30) days; Interfering with tenants' right to privacy. Applies: When done in bad faith, with an ulterior motive, or without honest intent. § 5-40.05 · code text Interfere with the tenant(s) right to privacy; Asking for information that violates tenants' right to privacy. Applies: When done in bad faith, with an ulterior motive, or without honest intent. § 5-40.05 · code text Request information that violates the tenant(s) right to privacy; Commit other repeated significant acts or omissions that substantially interfere with or disturb tenants' comfort, repose, peace, or quiet enjoyment and cause, are likely to cause, or are intended to cause tenants to vacate Applies: In bad faith, with ulterior motive, or without honest intent § 5-40.05 · code text Other repeated acts or omissions of such significance as to substantially interfere with or disturb the tenant(s) comfort, repose, peace, or quiet enjoyment, and that cause, are likely to cause, or are intended to cause the tenant(s) to vacate the unit; Retaliating against tenants for using their rights under this chapter or state or federal law. Applies: When done in bad faith, with an ulterior motive, or without honest intent. § 5-40.05 · code text Retaliate against the tenant(s) for the tenant(s) exercise of rights under this chapter or State or Federal law.

The California rule underneath

Where Emeryville'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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Emeryville Municipal Code — full text