Do this today
- Keep the paper. Photograph every page.
- Write the date, time, and how it arrived.
- Look for Los Angeles County Superior Court — unlawful detainer, a case number, or an appearance date.
- If a court is named, call legal aid the same day. Do not guess the deadline.
What were you handed?
| The paper | What it usually is | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| Landlord notice | A step before a court case. Not a judgment, and not a lockout. | Date it. Keep the original. Write down how it arrived. Check whether it offers a chance to fix the problem. |
| Court papers | A case has been filed. A court name, case number, or appearance date is running. | Call legal aid the same day. Do not ignore it. Bring the papers and a timeline of how you received them. |
| Lockout or shutoff | Locks changed, belongings moved, or utilities cut on an occupied unit. | Call 211 and legal aid today. In most states a landlord may not do this personally. Police non-emergency can document it. |
Is a notice in Los Angeles the same as being evicted?
No. A written landlord notice is a step. Los Angeles County Superior Court — unlawful detainer is where a possession case is heard. Papers that name a court, a case number, or an appearance date mean a case has been filed — that is same-day legal-aid work. LAHD administers the Rent Stabilization Ordinance and a separate just-cause ordinance. Whether your unit is covered is an address question. LAHD will tell you; this desk will not guess.
What should I be careful not to do?
Do not ignore court papers. Do not assume a lockout is lawful because a notice looks official. Do not sign a move-out or cash-for-keys paper you have not read with an advocate. Los Angeles Housing Department is not a substitute for legal aid once a case is filed.
Stay Housed LA, LAHD, or Housing Rights Center?
Stay Housed LA is eviction defense — workshops and lawyers for eligible tenants. LAHD administers rent stabilization, just-cause, and complaints. Housing Rights Center is fair housing. Mixing them is the wrong phone tree. Confirm hours on their sites.
Does Stay Housed LA replace legal aid?
No. Stay Housed LA is a City-backed eviction-defense network. It is one of the right local doors when a notice or an unlawful detainer arrives. It is not this classroom, and it is not a guarantee. Court papers in Los Angeles County Superior Court are still same-day work.
Stay Housed LA, LAHD, or Housing Rights Center — who do I call?
Three doors. Stay Housed LA (stayhousedla.org) is eviction defense when a notice or unlawful detainer arrives. LAHD (housing.lacity.gov) administers the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, just-cause, and code complaints — coverage is an address question. Housing Rights Center (housingrightscenter.org) takes fair-housing discrimination intake. None of them is the Superior Court.
Should I treat LAHD’s COVID emergency ordinances as current?
Not blindly. On 8 September 2026, LAHD’s renter-protection highlights page still described Ordinance Nos. 186585, 186606, and 186607 from 2020. Ask LAHD what applies to this unit now. This desk does not reprint those rules as today’s RSO.
Which Housing Rights Center clinics are in Los Angeles County?
HRC’s get-help page listed in-person clinics in Alhambra, Carson, El Monte, Inglewood, Lakewood, and Palmdale when we opened it on 8 September 2026. Clinics move. Confirm with HRC. An eviction notice is still Stay Housed LA, not the fair-housing clinic.
The Los Angeles layer
LAHD administers the Rent Stabilization Ordinance and a separate just-cause ordinance. Whether your unit is covered is an address question. LAHD will tell you; this desk will not guess.
California Civil Code — hiring of real property (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1940 to 1954.06) is the California floor. We name it. We do not paraphrase a day-count or a dollar cap out of it.
Los Angeles questions
Can my landlord in Los Angeles evict me without going to court?
No. Changing locks or shutting off utilities is not how possession is completed. Los Angeles County Superior Court — unlawful detainer is the court. If the paper names it, call legal aid the same day.
How long does an eviction notice last in Los Angeles?
That number is in California Civil Code — hiring of real property, and it can depend on the reason, the housing type, and any local ordinance. This site does not reprint it. Open the chapter or call legal aid with the paper in your hand.
Stay Housed LA, LAHD, or Housing Rights Center?
Stay Housed LA is eviction defense — workshops and lawyers for eligible tenants. LAHD administers rent stabilization, just-cause, and complaints. Housing Rights Center is fair housing. Mixing them is the wrong phone tree. Confirm hours on their sites.
Does Stay Housed LA replace legal aid?
No. Stay Housed LA is a City-backed eviction-defense network. It is one of the right local doors when a notice or an unlawful detainer arrives. It is not this classroom, and it is not a guarantee. Court papers in Los Angeles County Superior Court are still same-day work.
Stay Housed LA, LAHD, or Housing Rights Center — who do I call?
Three doors. Stay Housed LA (stayhousedla.org) is eviction defense when a notice or unlawful detainer arrives. LAHD (housing.lacity.gov) administers the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, just-cause, and code complaints — coverage is an address question. Housing Rights Center (housingrightscenter.org) takes fair-housing discrimination intake. None of them is the Superior Court.
Should I treat LAHD’s COVID emergency ordinances as current?
Not blindly. On 8 September 2026, LAHD’s renter-protection highlights page still described Ordinance Nos. 186585, 186606, and 186607 from 2020. Ask LAHD what applies to this unit now. This desk does not reprint those rules as today’s RSO.
Which Housing Rights Center clinics are in Los Angeles County?
HRC’s get-help page listed in-person clinics in Alhambra, Carson, El Monte, Inglewood, Lakewood, and Palmdale when we opened it on 8 September 2026. Clinics move. Confirm with HRC. An eviction notice is still Stay Housed LA, not the fair-housing clinic.
What number should I call in Los Angeles?
Danger: 911. Mental-health crisis: 988. City services: 311. Court papers: LawHelp.org the same day. Los Angeles Housing Department does not replace legal aid when a case is filed.
National answers on this desk
Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org