Legal Question in Business Law in California

It should be governed by your lease. In the absence of a lease provision, the tenant is entitled not to pay rent during any time they cannot occupy the property and are expected to pay for other accommodations out of that money, BUT if the time they are out of the property is too long, they can terminate the lease and sue for breach of contract, which may be more expensive than just contributing to a motel. This gray area is why it is really important to have a lease or rental agreement with clear provisions for what happens in the event of damage or destruction that makes the property uninhabitable.