California tenants furious as landlords take parking spaces away to make room for tiny houses

Los Angeles landlords are converting garages and car parks into homes under a California law intended to increase housing supply, sometimes removing tenants’ parking without replacing it. Tenants say parking was included in their leases, and several have sued, arguing that losing spaces breaches tenant protections or harms residents with disabilities.

Senate Bill 1211 took effect in January 2025 and allows more accessory dwelling units on multi-unit properties while preventing cities from requiring replacement parking. One 70-year-old tenant says construction could leave her without a space for one to two years; another, aged 83, is challenging plans to replace her garage space with two flats. In Hollywood, a judge paused a project that would turn 20 spaces into nine homes while tenants’ case proceeds. Housing advocates say adding homes is more important than preserving parking, while city officials say state law requires them to approve eligible permits.