California Civil Jury Instructions (CACI) (2017)

4325. Affirmative Defense—Failure to Comply With Rent Control Ordinance

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4325.Affirmative Defense—Failure to Comply With Rent Control
Ordinance
[Name of defendant] claims that [name of plaintiff] is not entitled to evict
[him/her] because [name of plaintiff] violated [insert name of local
governmental entity]’s rent control law. To succeed on this defense, [name
of defendant] must prove the following:
[Insert elements of rent control defense.]
New August 2007
Directions for Use
Insert the elements of the relevant local rent control law into this instruction.
Sources and Authority
• “[T]he statutory remedies for recovery of possession and of unpaid rent do not
preclude a defense based on municipal rent control legislation enacted pursuant
to the police power imposing rent ceilings and limiting the grounds for eviction
for the purpose of enforcing those rent ceilings.” (Birkenfeld v. Berkeley (1976)
17 Cal.3d 129, 149 [130 Cal.Rptr. 465, 550 P.2d 1001], internal citations and
footnote omitted.)
• “Although municipalities have power to enact ordinances creating substantive
defenses to eviction, such legislation is invalid to the extent it conflicts with
general state law.” (Fisher v. City of Berkeley (1984) 37 Cal.3d 644, 697 [209
Cal.Rptr. 682, 693 P.2d 261], affd. (1986) 475 U.S. 260 [106 S.Ct. 1045, 89
L.Ed.2d 206], internal citations omitted.)
Secondary Sources
12 Witkin, Summary of California Law (10th ed. 2006) Real Property, § 594
1California Landlord-Tenant Practice (Cont.Ed.Bar 2d ed.) §§ 7.53–7.76
2 California Eviction Defense Manual (Cont.Ed.Bar 2d ed.) Ch. 17
7 California Real Estate Law and Practice, Ch. 210, Unlawful Detainer, § 210.64
(Matthew Bender)
Matthew Bender Practice Guide: California Landlord-Tenant Litigation, Ch. 5,
Unlawful Detainer, 5.21
29 California Forms of Pleading and Practice, Ch. 333, Landlord and Tenant:
Eviction Actions, § 333.10 (Matthew Bender)
23 California Points and Authorities, Ch. 236, Unlawful Detainer, § 236.74
(Matthew Bender)
Miller & Starr, California Real Estate (Thomson Reuters West) Ch. 19, Landlord-
Tenant, § 19:102
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