Overview

• Assembly Bill 628 mandates that new leases entered into, amended, or extended on or after Jan. 1, 2026 include a working refrigerator and a stove in good condition.
• Units lacking those appliances will be deemed legally uninhabitable under state housing standards.
• Exemptions include permanent supportive housing, single-room occupancy units, residential hotel units, and properties with communal kitchens, including some assisted-living facilities.
• Tenants may supply their own refrigerator if they choose and the landlord agrees, according to the statute.
• The California Rental Housing Association opposed the mandate as costly, while supporters say it will ease renters’ upfront moving expenses.