CALIFORNIA – Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D – Inglewood) introduced AB 628 that would require landlords to provide a stove and refrigerator in rental units.

“While many landlords do include a working refrigerator and stove in a residential lease, a growing number of rental properties are not, creating significant financial burdens on tenants seeking an affordable and safe place to live,” according to the bill author in the analysis.

The bill would require rental homes to have a working stove and refrigerator that can safely cook and store food. This rule would apply to new or updated leases starting January 1, 2026.

‘A working stove and refrigerator are not luxuries’

The proposed bill would add a stove and fridge to the list of characteristics required for a dwelling unit to be livable like working heating and hot water systems.

Comments on the bill cited a Los Angeles Time article that said it was not customary for landlords in LA to include the appliances in the rental.

The California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation wrote in support of the bill that a working stove and refrigerator are not luxuries, they are a necessary part of modern life. 

“Most people would not consider a unit to be habitable without these things and the law should reflect that,” wrote the foundation.

Certain types of housing are exempt

The rule wouldn’t apply to certain types of housing, like permanent supportive housing, single-room occupancy units with shared kitchens, residential hotels, or housing facilities with shared kitchens, including assisted living homes.

To track the bill visit https://legiscan.com/CA/bill/AB628/2025