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Bill to require translations of eviction notices, summons and complaints advances amid landlord concerns
Summary
AB 863 would require landlords to provide eviction notices, summons and complaints in five commonly spoken non-English languages when leases were negotiated in those languages or the landlord was notified; landlords’ groups warned of cost, operational complexity and potential delays.
Assemblymember Cara’s AB 863, a proposal to require translated eviction-related documents in five non-English languages (Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Korean) for tenants who negotiated leases in those languages or who previously notified a landlord of their primary language, advanced from the Assembly Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
The author said California’s existing contract-translation requirements already apply to leases, but critical follow-up documents such as notices, summons and complaints are not uniformly translated, leaving limited-English-proficient tenants at a disadvantage. “This bill addresses that issue by requiring translations if a landlord has been previously notified that the tenant’s primary language is Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, or Korean,” the author said.
Supporters including Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, community legal aid groups and immigrant-rights organizations described cases in which limited-English tenants did not understand eviction documents and lost housing without an opportunity to respond. An attorney from the group recounted a client who was served only English court papers and ultimately lost a judgment because the court would not set it aside.
Opposition came from landlord and property-owner groups including the California Apartment Association and the California Business Properties Association. They argued the measure imposes unrealistic translation costs and operational burdens on property owners — particularly small owners — and risks increasing litigation and delays in the eviction process. Associations noted local ordinances and court systems in some jurisdictions already provide translations and suggested a state-run repository of translated template forms as an alternative.
The committee adopted amendments to narrow the circumstances under which translations are required and to encourage use of translated standard forms where available. Lawmakers said they will continue technical work with stakeholders on implementation details. The bill advanced.
