*Starting January 1, 2026, California renters will no longer need to haul their own refrigerators or stoves into new apartments.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 628, which requires landlords statewide to provide these appliances in all rental units. As LAist reports, the legislation, introduced by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, a Democrat from Inglewood and Hawthorne, addresses a long-standing issue, particularly in Los Angeles, where rentals without refrigerators have been a persistent quirk.
The California Rental Housing Association opposed the bill, warning that it places extra burdens on landlords. “AB 628 creates another costly and unnecessary mandate on housing providers at a time when operating costs are already skyrocketing,” said Adam Pearce, the association’s president. Tenant advocates, however, welcomed the change. “One would think that having a refrigerator is a necessity,” said Larry Gross, executive director of the Coalition for Economic Survival, emphasizing that appliances should not be considered mere amenities.
Under the new law, rentals without working refrigerators and stoves will be considered uninhabitable, though tenants may still bring their own appliances with landlord approval. Certain housing types are exempt, including supportive housing for formerly unhoused individuals and buildings with communal kitchens. Gross described the policy shift as “long overdue,” saying it aligns essential appliances with necessities like running water and heat.
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According to a 2022 Los Angeles Times report, Los Angeles and Orange counties have the lowest rates of rental units with refrigerators among major U.S. cities. The lack of these appliances has frustrated newcomers, many of whom have taken to social media to vent about the issue.
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