The Los Angeles Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance (LAMC §§ 45.30 et seq., enacted 2021 with subsequent amendments) gives LA City tenants the single strongest civil tool against landlord harassment in the state. Civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation, treble damages for elderly and disabled victims, and recoverable attorney fees. The list of prohibited conduct is broad, it covers the obvious (lockouts, threats) and the not-so-obvious (excessive entries, manufactured rule enforcement, intentionally failing repairs).
TAHO claims often turn what started as a landlord’s eviction into a tenant’s counterclaim that resolves with the tenant whole and the landlord paying. It is one of the most useful tenant tools in LA.
We only represent tenants. TAHO is part of every LA City case analysis we run.
For TAHO-only matters or other tenant issues, schedule a paid 30-minute consult →
Quick Answer
LA City Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance (LAMC §§ 45.30 et seq.) prohibits 19+ categories of landlord harassment. Civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation, treble damages for elderly/disabled, tenant attorney fees recoverable. Covers lockouts, threats, intentionally failing repairs, excessive entries, manufactured rule enforcement, refusing to accept rent, immigration-status threats, removal of services, fraudulent representations, and more.
Key Takeaways
- LAMC § 45.33-19+ enumerated harassment categories.
- Civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation (LAMC § 45.35).
- Treble damages for tenants 65+ or disabled (LAMC § 45.35).
- Private right of action, tenant attorney fees recoverable.
- Covers LA City rentals (not LA County unincorporated, not other cities).
- Includes affirmative defense status in any eviction case (LAMC § 45.35(D)).
- Tenant must give 15-day cease-and-desist notice before suing for some categories.
- Complaints can also be filed with the LA Housing Department.
What conduct is prohibited (LAMC § 45.33)
- Interrupting, terminating, or failing to provide housing services.
- Failing to perform repairs in a timely fashion.
- Failing to exercise due diligence in completing repairs.
- Abusing the right of access (excessive entries, entries without proper notice).
- Influencing or attempting to influence a tenant to vacate through fraud, intimidation, or coercion.
- Threatening to or actually disclosing immigration status.
- Coercing the tenant to waive rights.
- Refusing to accept or acknowledge rent.
- Refusing to cash rent checks or process rent payments.
- Interfering with the tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment.
- Engaging in offensive conduct including racial slurs, sexual harassment, or gender-based threats.
- Bringing an action without good cause or a reasonable basis.
- Threatening physical harm.
- Removing personal property without authorization.
- Misrepresenting the law to a tenant.
- Repeatedly violating a tenant’s right to privacy.
- Other conduct identified in the ordinance.
Penalties and damages
- Civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation per tenant.
- Treble damages for tenants 65+ or disabled.
- Actual damages.
- Recoverable attorney fees and costs.
- Injunctive relief, court order halting the harassment.
- Punitive damages for malicious or oppressive conduct.
TAHO as an eviction defense
LAMC § 45.35(D) makes a TAHO violation an affirmative defense in unlawful detainer. When the landlord’s harassment is at the root of an alleged tenant breach (e.g., tenant withheld rent because landlord ignored habitability complaints, or tenant refused entry because landlord was conducting harassing visits), TAHO can defeat the underlying eviction.
How TAHO interacts with state-law harassment claims
TAHO doesn’t replace state law, it stacks on top. CC §§ 789.3 (lockouts/utility shutoffs), 1940.2 (harassment), and 1942.5 (retaliation) all still apply. TAHO adds the LA City penalties and the broader list of prohibited conduct.
The 15-day cease-and-desist requirement
For certain TAHO categories, the tenant must give the landlord 15 days’ written notice to cease the conduct before suing. For other categories (lockouts, threats), no pre-suit notice is required. The right approach depends on the specific conduct, get counsel before sending the notice (or skipping it).
How to use TAHO
- Document every incident: dates, times, witnesses, photos, video, communications.
- Pull texts, emails, and any letters from the landlord.
- Identify which TAHO categories apply.
- Send the 15-day cease-and-desist notice if required for the category.
- File a complaint with the LA Housing Department (LAHD) for parallel administrative pressure.
- If a UD is filed, plead TAHO as an affirmative defense and consider a cross-complaint.
- Free-standing TAHO action can also be filed independent of any UD.
What to do right now
Start a written log of every incident right away, with date, time, what happened, and any witnesses. Memory fades; contemporaneous notes hold up. Preserve every text, email, and voicemail from the landlord, and if you have a doorbell or security camera, save the footage before it overwrites. Identify which LAMC § 45.33 categories the conduct falls under, because the categorization drives both the strategy and the potential damages.
Then call counsel. The strategic call matters: 15-day notice versus immediate suit, cross-complaint versus defense-only, are decisions that change the trajectory of the case.
For TAHO-only matters or other tenant issues, schedule a paid 30-minute consult →
Related pages
- Eviction Defense overview
- Illegal Landlord Conduct
- Retaliatory Eviction Defense
- Discrimination & FEHA Defense
- Habitability Defense
- Looking for a Los Angeles eviction defense attorney? Our main tenant defense page covers the full eviction defense playbook.
- Eviction Defense Information Hub: comprehensive topic index for California tenants.
- What Happens After You File Your Answer
- How Long Does an Eviction Case Take in LA
- Neighborhood guides: Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Hollywood, Downtown LA
“Zak Fisher immediately discusses your concerns and provides accurate assessment of the case. Mr. Fisher is an incredible, responsive, intelligent lawyer.”
“I was in need of legal representation and attorney Zak was on my side. He practiced with trust, integrity, and authenticity. Justice was served as my case was dismissed.”
“If you have issues with tenant and landlord matters, I extremely advise you to give Mr. Fisher a call and present your case. He made a very uncomfortable situation a good thing, and more importantly he fought for me, which is exactly what I needed.”
Skip to content