The Long Beach eviction process runs through five gates: a legally recognized reason under the city’s Just Cause for Termination of Tenancies Ordinance, a written notice matching that reason, an unlawful detainer lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court, a judgment for possession, and a Sheriff-enforced lockout on a Writ of Possession. Miss a step or fumble the paperwork and the timeline resets, sometimes from the beginning.
Start With a Legal Reason
Long Beach Municipal Code Chapter 8.99, built on California’s Tenant Protection Act of 2019, requires a specific reason before ending a tenancy. Reasons split into at-fault and no-fault.
At-fault covers tenant conduct: failing to pay rent, a serious lease violation, nuisance, criminal activity on the property, or refusing lawful access. No relocation payment is owed when the tenant caused the problem.
No-fault covers the landlord’s own need for the unit. Typical grounds include an owner or immediate family member moving in, withdrawing the property from the rental market under the Ellis Act, or substantial remodeling that requires the unit vacant for at least 30 days.1City of Long Beach. Update on Just Cause for Termination of Tenancies Ordinance
For no-fault evictions, the city’s ordinance requires the landlord to pay relocation assistance equal to one month of rent at the rate in effect when notice was served. That payment is due within 15 calendar days of serving the notice to vacate.2City of Long Beach. Ordinance No. ORD-20-0007 Miss that deadline and the eviction can be invalidated outright.
Serve the Correct Notice
Before any court filing, the landlord serves a written notice tied to the specific reason. This is the single most common failure point, because a defective notice keeps the court from ever reaching the merits.
For unpaid rent, the notice is a three-day notice to pay rent or quit. It must state the exact rent owed, excluding late fees and other charges, and must include the name, phone number, and address of the person who can accept payment along with how payment can be made.3California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure – Summary Proceedings for Obtaining Possession of Real Property in Certain Cases The three-day count excludes weekends and court holidays.
For a lease violation other than nonpayment, a three-day notice to perform or quit identifies the problem and gives the tenant three days to fix it. If the violation can’t be cured, the notice simply demands that the tenant leave.
No-fault evictions need longer notice. Tenancies under a year get 30 days. Tenancies of a year or more require 60 days under the Tenant Protection Act. In no-fault cases, the notice must spell out the tenant’s right to relocation assistance and state the exact dollar amount the landlord will pay.2City of Long Beach. Ordinance No. ORD-20-0007 Leaving those details out can render the notice ineffective.
File the Unlawful Detainer
If the notice period runs out and the tenant hasn’t complied, the landlord files an unlawful detainer lawsuit. Long Beach sits within the Los Angeles Superior Court, with filings typically handled at the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse.
Filing requires four forms: a Summons, a Complaint, a Plaintiff’s Mandatory Cover Sheet and Supplemental Allegations, and a Civil Case Cover Sheet. The filing fee runs from $240 to $450 depending on the amount of back rent claimed.4California Courts | Self Help Guide. Fill out forms to start an eviction case Landlords who can’t afford the fee can apply for a waiver based on public benefits or income under federal poverty guidelines.
After the clerk stamps the complaint, the tenant must be formally served. The landlord cannot do this personally. A professional process server or any uninvolved adult over 18 hand-delivers the Summons and Complaint, and proof of service goes back to the court.
The Tenant’s Response Window
Once served, the tenant has 10 court days to file a written answer, a deadline updated in 2025 that excludes Saturdays, Sundays, and court holidays.5County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer and Business Affairs. Eviction If service was by substituted service or posting rather than personal delivery, the response clock starts later because of an added mailing period.6California Courts | Self Help Guide. Fill out an Answer form in an eviction case
No answer within the deadline means the landlord can request a default judgment and move to the lockout stage without a hearing. When the tenant does answer, common defenses in Long Beach cases include:
- Defective notice: wrong amount, missing required information, or improper service.
- No just cause under LBMC Chapter 8.99 or state law.
- Retaliation for complaining about habitability or exercising a legal right.
- Habitability failures, which can also support a rent reduction.
- Failure to pay the required relocation assistance on time in a no-fault case.
Trial and Judgment
When a tenant answers, the case moves to trial. Unlawful detainers are expedited, and courts generally set trial about 20 days after a party requests a hearing date. The judge reviews the lease, every notice served, proofs of service, and evidence of any violations or missed payments. Both sides can call witnesses.
The court’s focus is procedural as much as factual. A landlord with a solid factual case can still lose if the notice was served wrong or missed required statutory language. A win produces a judgment for possession, and where the lease allows it, an award for past-due rent, court costs, and attorney fees. That judgment is the authorization for the next step.
Writ of Possession and Sheriff Lockout
A judgment alone doesn’t put the tenant out. The landlord gets a Writ of Possession from the court clerk and delivers it to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department with a $145 fee.7Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Instructions to the Sheriff of Los Angeles County – Writ of Possession for Real Property That fee covers both the posting and the lockout.8Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Statutory Fees
A deputy then posts a five-day Notice to Vacate on the property.7Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Instructions to the Sheriff of Los Angeles County – Writ of Possession for Real Property If the tenant is still there after five days, the Sheriff returns to remove the occupants and lets the landlord change the locks. Having a locksmith on site at the scheduled time avoids a return trip and any gap in security.
Do Not Attempt a Self-Help Eviction
No matter how strong the case, a California landlord cannot change the locks, shut off utilities, remove doors or windows, or haul out a tenant’s belongings without completing the court process. Those “self-help” tactics violate California Civil Code Section 789.3. Tenants can sue for actual damages plus $100 per day for each day the violation continues, with a minimum of $250 in statutory damages.
Even after nonpayment or a serious lease breach, the unlawful detainer track is the only lawful path. Cutting off water or electricity doesn’t shorten the process; it opens a separate lawsuit the landlord will almost certainly lose.
After the Lockout: Deposit and Belongings
Tenants routinely leave belongings behind. California law requires written notice describing the abandoned property and a period for the former tenant to claim it before disposal. If the property is worth more than the greater of $2,500 or one month’s rent, the landlord must hold a public sale rather than discard the items.
The security deposit runs on its own clock. Under California Civil Code Section 1950.5, the landlord returns the deposit or provides an itemized statement of deductions within 21 days after the tenant vacates. Allowable deductions include unpaid rent, cleaning beyond normal wear and tear, and repair of tenant-caused damage. Court costs and attorney fees from the eviction itself are not taken from the deposit; those come out of the judgment. Missing the 21-day deadline exposes the landlord to penalties of up to twice the deposit amount.
Tenants Who Change the Timeline
Two categories of tenant carry protections that can pause or reopen an eviction.
For active-duty servicemembers, the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act blocks a default judgment against a servicemember who fails to appear unless the court first appoints an attorney to represent their interests. If military service materially affects the ability to pay rent, the court may pause the eviction for at least 90 days. A default entered against an active-duty member can be reopened if the judgment was entered during service or within 60 days after, and the servicemember requests reopening while still on active duty or within 90 days of separation.9Creech Air Force Base. Legal Brief Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Long Beach has a substantial military-connected population, so verifying military status before pursuing a default matters.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits using eviction as a tool for discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability.10U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Housing Discrimination Under the Fair Housing Act Enforcing lease terms against a tenant in a protected class while overlooking the same behavior from others creates liability. Where a disability contributed to the underlying violation, the tenant can request a reasonable accommodation, such as more time to cure, arrange treatment, or find alternative housing. The landlord is required to engage in an interactive process rather than push straight through to eviction. A flat refusal to consider a reasonable accommodation can turn a valid case into a fair housing violation.