SB 607

Under current law, a tenant's tenancy may be terminated by the landlord for

nonpayment of rent, for committing waste, for breaching a covenant or condition of

the tenant's rental agreement, or if the property owner receives notice from a law

enforcement agency or the office of the district attorney that a nuisance exists in the

rental unit because the property is being used for drug-related purposes or criminal

gang-related purposes. Under this bill, a property owner may terminate the tenancy

of a tenant by using the method provided in the bill if the tenant or a guest of the

tenant is committing or has committed on or near the premises a breach of the lease

that jeopardizes the health, safety, or welfare of the property owner or his or her

agent or another tenant; criminal gang activity; or any of a number of crimes

specified in the bill relating to prostitution, harassment, battery, endangering safety

by use of a dangerous weapon, or damage to property. The property owner must

provide notice to the tenant to vacate the property on or before a date that is at least

five days after the giving of the notice. The notice must advise the tenant of the

reason for termination of the tenancy and of the tenant's right to contest the

termination of tenancy in an eviction action. If the tenant contests the termination

of tenancy in an eviction action, the property owner must prove by the greater

preponderance of the evidence that the tenant or a guest of the tenant is committing

or has committed the crime or other action on which the termination of tenancy is

based.