Just-cause eviction and rent control

In most of the country, a landlord can end a month-to-month tenancy with proper notice and no reason. Just-cause laws change that: the landlord may end the tenancy only for a reason listed in the law, such as non-payment, a serious lease violation, nuisance, or — for “no-fault” reasons — the owner moving in, substantial renovation or taking the unit off the market.

Statewide just-cause laws exist in several states (for example New Jersey, California, Oregon, Washington and Colorado, with New York’s Good Cause law applying in participating localities), and many cities have their own ordinances. Exemptions are common: newer buildings, small owner-occupied buildings and some single-family homes.

For no-fault terminations, several states and cities require the landlord to pay the tenant relocation assistance, often equal to one or more months’ rent.