City of Soledad Landlord Pays $30,000 for Violating California's Tenant Protection Act and Other Consumer Protection Laws

 

SALINAS, California - Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced on January 9 that her

Consumer Protection Unit has resolved a case against Mi Tierra Linda LLC, the owner of an apartment

building located at 150 Encinal Road in Soledad. This settlement resolves multiple violations of law,

including violations of California’s Tenant Protection Act, failure to maintain workers compensation

insurance, failure to test for asbestos prior to disturbing potentially asbestos-containing materials, and

hiring unlicensed contractors to perform renovation work. As part of the settlement, the landlord will

pay $30,000 in civil penalties and is subject to an injunction prohibiting further violations.

California’s Tenant Protection Act creates statewide protections against excessive rent increases and

safeguards tenants who have lived in their homes for more than 12 months by requiring landlords to

have “just cause” before terminating a lease. The law prohibits evictions intended to unlawfully increase

rent beyond legal limits, or based on sham renovation claims, among other things. Landlords and tenants

are encouraged to review the Tenant Protection Act to understand what constitutes “just cause,” and

what does not.

In this case, the District Attorney’s Office received information that the landlord had issued termination

notices in February 2025 to tenants at the Soledad apartment complex without just cause. After being

contacted by the District Attorney’s Office, the landlord rescinded the notices, allowing tenants to

remain in their homes.

This investigation also uncovered additional violations of law. The landlord had performed work on

some apartments using unlicensed contractors, failed to maintain required workers compensation

insurance, and did not test suspect building materials, such as drywall, for asbestos prior to disturbing

such materials during renovation work.

This case was investigated by the Consumer Protection Division of the Monterey County District

Attorney’s Office. Consumers may submit complaints related to unlawful business activities to our

office on our website at https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/departments-a-h/district-

attorney/consumer-and-environmental-protection/consumer-complaint-form, by email to

ConsumerComplaints@countyofmonterey.gov, or may call (831) 647-7770.