Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

Re: Tenant eviction

In general, a landlord can evict a tenant only for a material breach of the lease. Not occupying the unit for a lengthy period of time is not, in and of itself, a breach. Many tenants go on long vacations or do long out-of-town work assignments. If the lease required the tenant to do repairs or maintain landscaping, failure to do that might possibly constitute a breach.

In addition, there are laws that permit and in some cases require the landlord to evict the tenant for criminal activity on the premises, such as running a drug house. These laws would not apply to tax evaders nor to failure to appear on a warrant.

I'd say it's doubtful there are grounds for evicting this tenant.