Social Security Tenant Protection Act of 2025.

The document was reformatted from an official chaptered legislative document into a web page presentation that includes site navigation, bill metadata, version history links, and share options. No changes to the operative legal text.

The bill now adds and repeals Section 1946.3 of the Civil Code, expanding its reach beyond the Code of Civil Procedure and Mobilehome Residency Law provisions.

Tenants can now assert 'Social Security hardship' as an affirmative defense in any unlawful detainer proceeding based on nonpayment of rent, regardless of whether a formal 'declared social security benefit payment interruption' is in effect. This is broader than the prior version which only barred courts from issuing summons during a declared interruption.

'Social Security hardship' is defined as a loss of income due to an interruption in Social Security benefits payments caused by the action or inaction of the federal government.

A tenant asserting the defense must provide evidence, to the court's satisfaction, that Social Security payments typically received by the household have been terminated, delayed, or reduced through no fault of the tenant, and that the hardship prevented rent payment.

If a tenant successfully provides the required evidence, the court is required to issue a stay of the unlawful detainer action.

Language stating that the bill would expand the crime of perjury and create a state-mandated local program was removed from the digest.

Within 14 days of Social Security benefits being restored, the tenant must either pay all past due rent or enter into a mutually agreed payment plan with the owner. If either occurs, the court must dismiss the action with prejudice or set aside the judgment against all named and unnamed defendants.

The Judicial Council is required to adopt or modify forms by January 1, 2027 to implement the Act.

Language stating that no state reimbursement is required for specified reasons was removed from the digest.

The bill header changed from the enrolled format (showing Assembly and Senate passage dates) to the chaptered law format with 'STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL' and Chapter 337 designation.

The Governor's approval and filing date was added: October 6, 2025.

Page numbers changed from '90' to '89' and page headers changed from 'AB 246' to 'Ch. 337', reflecting the new pagination of the enrolled chaptered law.

Added the Social Security Tenant Protection Act of 2025 (new Chapter 6, Sections 1179.20-1179.2x of the Code of Civil Procedure), which prohibits courts from issuing unlawful detainer summonses based on nonpayment during a declared Social Security benefit payment interruption if the tenant experienced income loss due to that interruption.

Amended Code of Civil Procedure Section 1161 (unlawful detainer) to make rent-based and covenant-based eviction actions subject to the Social Security Tenant Protection Act when the default is based on 'covered rental debt.'

Changed the required vote from a two-thirds majority to a simple majority, and changed the state-mandated local program designation from 'no' to 'yes' due to the expansion of the perjury crime creating a local program obligation.

Defined 'social security benefit payment interruption' as any disruption in SSA benefit administration or disbursement resulting in a delay of 3 or more calendar days beyond the scheduled payment date. A 'declared' interruption begins when the Joint Legislative Budget Committee receives notice from the Department of Finance and ends when payments are restored or 6 months after commencement, whichever comes first.

During a declared Social Security benefit payment interruption, any 3-day pay-or-quit notice must include an unsigned copy of a declaration of social security-related financial distress and advise the tenant that they will not be evicted for noncompliance if they deliver a signed declaration to the landlord. Non-compliant notices are void and insufficient to support an unlawful detainer judgment.

Amended Civil Code Section 798.56 (Mobilehome Residency Law) to add detailed nonpayment procedures: a 5-day grace period before a 3-day notice can be issued, mandatory warning language on notices tracking the number of prior notices in 12 months, and after 3 notices in 12 months, elimination of further 3-day notices in favor of a 60-day removal notice.

Added detailed change-of-use notice requirements for mobilehome parks: 60 days' notice before seeking permits, 6 months' notice after permit approval (or 12 months if no permits required), and advance disclosure to new tenants that a change of use is pending or approved.

Required that a mobilehome park hold a valid operating permit under Health and Safety Code before a tenancy can be terminated for nonpayment or change of use.

Prohibited landlords or their agents from charging tenants a fee for serving, posting, or otherwise delivering any notice described in Section 1161.

Required the Department of Finance to monitor Social Security benefit payment status and deliver determinations of interruption or restoration to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the Judicial Council.

Allowed legal owners, junior lienholders, or registered owners of mobilehomes (other than financial institutions or mobilehome dealers) to cure a homeowner's nonpayment default on the homeowner's behalf, limited to twice per 12-month period.

Removed the urgency clause that had made the bill take effect immediately upon passage. The bill now follows the standard effective date timeline.

Set a sunset date of January 20, 2029 for most new provisions (amended Section 798.56, amended Section 1161, and the Social Security Tenant Protection Act chapter), with successor versions of Sections 798.56 and 1161 taking effect on that date without the Social Security protections.

The Department of Finance's role in monitoring the status of Social Security benefit payments was removed. Previously, the Act required the Department of Finance to monitor payments and the Department of Justice to file an action and deliver notice. Now only the Department of Justice is responsible for determining a payment interruption, filing an action to restore payments, delivering notice to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and Judicial Council within 5 court days, and determining when payments have been restored.

Tenants seeking eviction protection during a declared Social Security benefit payment interruption must now deliver both a signed declaration of financial distress AND documentation that they rely upon their Social Security benefit payments to the landlord. Previously, only a signed declaration was required. This raises the evidentiary bar for tenants to qualify for the protection.

The perjury provision was updated to match the new documentation requirement: a tenant who delivers a declaration under penalty of perjury AND documentation of reliance on Social Security benefits is protected from being deemed in default for covered rental debt.

The entire Los Angeles County rent cap section was deleted. This provision would have prohibited landlords in LA County from increasing rent by more than 3% above the rate charged on January 7, 2025, for units with tenants in lawful possession on that date, with a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation, enforceable by the district attorney, county counsel, or city attorney, and effective until March 1, 2026.

The bill title changed from 'Residential rent increases: County of Los Angeles. Social Security Tenant Protection Act of 2025' to simply 'Social Security Tenant Protection Act of 2025,' reflecting the removal of the LA County rent cap component.

Subdivision (e)(1) of amended Section 798.56 now explicitly states 'Except as provided for in the Social Security Tenant Protection Act of 2025' before the nonpayment of rent termination ground, creating a clear statutory exception that protects mobilehome park residents from eviction during a declared social security benefit payment interruption.

The operative date language in Section 798.56(k) changed from 'shall become operative on February 1, 2025' and 'remain in effect until January 20, 2029, and as of that date is repealed' to simply 'shall become operative on January 20, 2029,' which appears to delay the effective date of the amended mobilehome termination provisions.

Coauthors were revised: principal coauthors (Assembly Members Harabedian and McKinnor) and principal senator coauthor (Senator Perez) were removed, along with Senators Allen and Smallwood-Cuevas. The remaining coauthors are Assembly Members Elhawary, Kalra, and Celeste Rodriguez.

Fiscal committee review changed from 'no' to 'yes,' and state-mandated local program designation changed from 'no' to 'yes.'

Changed 'loss of income' to 'loss of household income,' broadening which tenants qualify for protection during a Social Security benefit payment interruption.

Added the Department of Justice as a required actor: DOJ must file an action to restore Social Security benefit payments when it determines a payment interruption exists, and DOJ (not Finance) now delivers the determination that payments have been restored.

Added a 5 court day deadline for delivering notice of the determination or filing to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the Judicial Council.

The bill description was updated from 'to add Chapter 6' to 'to add and repeal Chapter 6,' indicating the Senate version both creates and repeals a chapter, likely as part of a structural reorganization of the Code of Civil Procedure provisions.

The core restriction changed from a complete prohibition on any rent increase above the January 7, 2025 rate to a cap allowing increases of no more than 3 percent above that baseline. This is the most significant substantive change in the amendment.

New provision stating the section does not affect existing authority of local governments to adopt or maintain rent controls or price controls consistent with this section.

New exemption for housing restricted by deed, regulatory restriction, or recorded document as affordable housing for very low, low, or moderate income persons and families (as defined in Health and Safety Code Section 50093 or comparable federal statutes).

New exemption for residential real property owned or operated by an institution of higher education or a kindergarten through grade 12 school.

The sunset provision was simplified from '12 months after the state of emergency has been terminated, March 1, 2026' to simply 'until March 1, 2026,' removing the dependency on when the Governor terminates the state of emergency.

The digest title was changed from 'State of emergency: residential rent increases' to 'Residential rent: rent increases,' and the vote requirement notation was clarified from 'Vote: 2/3' to 'Vote: 2/3 majority.' Coauthor listing was reorganized.

The entire amendment to Penal Code Section 396 was deleted. This section had prohibited price increases above 10 percent for consumer goods, emergency supplies, medical supplies, building materials, housing, transportation, and gasoline during a state of emergency; limited repair/reconstruction service increases to 10 percent for 180 days; capped hotel/motel rate increases at 10 percent; limited rental price increases to 10 percent; prohibited evictions during emergencies; and established misdemeanor penalties. Its removal means the bill no longer addresses general emergency price gouging.

The bill title was changed from 'relating to emergency services, relating to housing' to simply 'relating to housing,' reflecting the removal of the Penal Code emergency price gouging provisions.

Section 1947.14(c)(1) was changed from authorizing only a 'district attorney or city attorney' to enforce the rent freeze, to authorizing a 'district attorney, county counsel, or city attorney.' This adds county counsel as an additional enforcement authority.

The sunset provision in Section 1947.14(d) now includes the specific date 'March 1, 2026' alongside the existing language about expiration 12 months after the state of emergency is terminated. This appears to establish a backstop or alternative end date for the rent freeze.

The rent freeze now only applies to dwellings or units that had a tenant in lawful possession on or before January 7, 2025. The original version applied to all dwellings and units in Los Angeles County regardless of occupancy status.

A new exception allows an owner to increase the rental rate if a notice of rental rate increase was issued on or before January 7, 2025, even if the increase takes effect after that date.

Enforcement authority expanded from district attorney only to 'a district attorney or city attorney,' giving cities an additional enforcement pathway.

The state of emergency description now includes the Eaton Fire in addition to the Palisades Fire and windstorm conditions, reflecting the full scope of the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires.