Published
November 12, 2026
Tenants of Sequoia Equities-managed California apartment communities whose leases ended between September 25, 2019 and September 16, 2026 and who had more than $125 in move-out charges taken from their security deposits may qualify to claim a cash share of the $3.1 million Sequoia Equities security deposit class action settlement. Claims close December 3, 2026; tenants who were referred to collections are paid automatically.
Current Status
Claims are open for the Security Deposit Class until December 3, 2026, which is also the deadline to opt out or object. The Contra Costa County Superior Court granted preliminary approval on September 16, 2026, and the final approval hearing is set for January 13, 2027, at 9:00 a.m. Members of the separate Defamation Class do not file; they are paid automatically. No payment is made unless the court grants final approval, and no payment date had been announced as of November 12, 2026.Free settlement alerts
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Status
Claims Open
Claim Deadline
December 3, 2026
Security Deposit Class · online, or postmarked by mail · same day to opt out or object
Estimated Payout
About 25% of the kept deposit
notice estimate at a 30% claim rate · only deductions over $125 qualify · collections class paid automatically
Proof Required
Yes — ID to file online
Xpand ID and PIN from the notice · no receipts
What Changed Recently?
The claims process opened after the court preliminarily approved the settlement in Ross, et al. v. Sequoia Equities, Incorporated, et al., No. C23-02401, on September 16, 2026. The administrator, Xpand Legal Consulting, has mailed notices with each class member’s Xpand ID and PIN and launched the settlement website.The lawsuit was filed September 25, 2023. It alleges that Sequoia Equities violated California Civil Code section 1950.5 by keeping more than $125 of tenants’ security deposits for cleaning, repairs and replacements, was negligent and engaged in unfair business practices in handling deposits, and defamed tenants by reporting claimed deposit balances to a collection agency. Sequoia denies all of the allegations and says it did not violate section 1950.5 or any other law, and the court has not ruled on the merits.
Who Qualifies?
The settlement covers two groups of residential tenants of California apartment communities managed by Sequoia Equities from September 25, 2019 through September 16, 2026:- Security Deposit Class: tenants whose leases ended and who had more than $125 in condition-based move-out charges deducted from their security deposits. They must file a claim to be paid.
- Defamation Class: tenants whose accounts were referred to a third-party collection agency for a balance claimed after the security deposit was applied. They are paid automatically.
A tenant can be in both classes. Only people listed as a lessee, co-lessee or signer on the lease or final account statement are class members; other occupants are not.
The notice lists these 68 communities: Alize at Aliso Viejo Apartment Homes, Sonora at Alta Loma, Cross Pointe Apartment Homes, Sterling Heights Apartment Homes, La Velencia Apartment Homes, Park Central, Shadow Oaks Apartment Homes, Iron Point at Prairie Oaks, Paloma Summit Condominium Rentals, Hidden Hills Condominium Rentals, Niguel Summit Condominium Rentals, Mill Springs Park Apartment Homes, Plum Tree Apartment Homes, Regency Plaza Apartment Homes, Ridgecrest Apartment Homes, Valley Ridge Apartment Homes, Paragon at Old Town, Seventeen Mile Drive Village Apartment Homes, Azure Apartment Homes, The Reserve at Capital Center Apartment Homes, Esplanade Apartment Homes, Shaliko, Park Ridge Apartment Homes, Deer Valley Apartment Homes, Vanu at Galleria Condominium Rentals, Hidden Lake Condominium Rentals, The Artisan Apartment Homes, Eviva Midtown, Wolf Ranch Condominium Rentals, Shore Park at Riverlake, Larkspur Woods, Rosewalk, Shadow Ridge Apartment Homes, River Oaks Apartment Homes, Flora Condominium Rentals, Atrium Downtown, Sunrise Residences Apartment Homes, Ballena Village Apartment Homes, Tower Apartment Homes, Garden Court, Alicante Apartment Homes, Vista Creek, Schafer Road Apartments, Quail Hill Apartment Homes, Bon Aire Apartment Homes, Mountain View Apartment Homes, Palm Lake Apartment Homes, Avoca Dublin Station, Emerald Park Apartment Homes, Pentagon Apartment Homes, Coronado Apartment Homes, Fremont Arms Apartment Homes, Parkway Apartment Homes, Pinebrook Apartment Homes, Ramblewood Apartment Homes, Coral Gardens Apartment Homes, Villa Palms Apartment Homes, Alderwood Park Apartment Homes, Briarwood Apartment Homes, Royal Gardens Apartment Homes, Creekside Village Senior Living Apartments, Peppertree Apartment Homes, Marina Haven Apartment Homes, Marina Plaza Apartment Homes, Summerhill Terrace Apartment Homes, Bayfair Apartment Homes, Spring Lake Apartment Homes and Sandpiper Village Apartment Homes.
How Much Can You Get?
Sequoia will provide about $1.8 million in cash and about $1.3 million in debt relief, a total of roughly $3.1 million. The debt relief does not reduce the cash fund.After court-approved deductions, the net settlement fund is split two ways:
- 90% to the Security Deposit Class, shared pro rata among those who file valid claims, in proportion to the amount of their deposit Sequoia kept. The notice’s estimate is about 24.78% of the retained deposit if 30% of class members submit valid claims; more claims would lower the percentage.
- 10% to the Defamation Class, paid automatically. Sequoia will also stop collecting, selling or reporting balances for damages that remained after a deposit was used up. Past-due rent and utilities are not forgiven.
The deductions the court will consider are up to $50,000 for administration, $10,000 for each of the three class representatives, and attorneys’ fees of up to one-third of the total settlement amount plus up to $65,000 in costs. Because the fee request is measured against the full total, including the debt relief, a full fee award would be about $1.03 million. Co-lessees of the same unit split that unit’s payment.
What Proof or Notice ID Is Required?
The online claim form opens only after a claimant enters the Xpand ID and PIN printed on the notice. No receipts or move-out statements are required to file. A signed paper claim form, available on the settlement website’s Important Documents page, can instead be mailed, emailed or faxed to the administrator.What Is the Deadline?
Security Deposit Class claims must be submitted online or postmarked by December 3, 2026. Requests for exclusion and objections are due the same day. A request for exclusion must include the tenant’s name, address, telephone number, the last four digits of their Social Security number and a signature, along with the opt-out statement set out in the notice. The notice says objectors will be expected to sit for a deposition before the final hearing.How Do You Take Action?
Claims are filed on the official Ross v. Sequoia Equities settlement website:- Enter the Xpand ID and PIN from the notice to verify eligibility.
- Sign the claim form online.
- Optionally, use the website’s Payment Election page to choose an electronic payment instead of a mailed check.
Claimants who moved can update their mailing address through the website’s Change of Address page.
What Happens Next?
The court will hold the final approval hearing on January 13, 2027, at 9:00 a.m. at the Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez. The settlement website lists the courtroom as Department 16, while the notice says Department 39. If the court approves the settlement and there are no objections or appeals, the notice says payments will be mailed within about 30 days of final judgment.Official Settlement Notice
Sources and Verification
- Official Ross v. Sequoia Equities settlement website (Xpand Legal Consulting), including the FAQs and the claim and payment-election pages
- Class Action Settlement Notice, Ross, et al. v. Sequoia Equities, Incorporated, et al., No. C23-02401 (Cal. Super. Ct., Contra Costa County), posted on the settlement website’s Important Documents page
OpenClassActions.com is a consumer news and information site, not a law firm. This article is general information about the Sequoia Equities security deposit settlement. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Questions
How much of a retained deposit could a Sequoia tenant get back?
The notice’s estimate is about 24.78% of the retained security deposit, assuming 30% of class members submit valid claims. Each payment is proportional to the amount Sequoia kept, so a larger deduction means a larger share, and the percentage falls if more people file.
What if two roommates were both on the lease?
Each lessee is a separate class member who can claim and who shares the recovery for the unit. The notice’s example is a $500 payment for a unit with two lessees, split $250 each. A person who lived in the apartment but was not a lessee, co-lessee or signer on the lease or final account statement is not a class member.
Does the debt relief cover unpaid rent?
No. The debt relief covers balances Sequoia sent to collections for damages left after a security deposit was used up. Past-due rent and utilities reported to a collection agency are excluded, under the notice.
Can taking part affect a current lease with Sequoia?
The notice says the decision to participate or not will not affect a current tenancy, that California law prohibits retaliation, and that Sequoia will not take adverse action against anyone for participating or declining to.
How are attorneys’ fees calculated in the Sequoia settlement?
Class counsel will ask for up to one-third of the total settlement amount, which includes the roughly $1.3 million in debt relief, plus up to $65,000 in costs, paid from the settlement fund. A full award measured against the roughly $3.1 million total would be about $1.03 million. The court decides the amount.
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Settlement Amount
About $3.1 million
about $1.8 million cash · about $1.3 million debt relief
Case Title
Ross, et al. v. Sequoia Equities, Incorporated, et al.
Case Number
C23-02401
Court
Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa
Final Approval Hearing
January 13, 2027 at 9:00 AM
Martinez · website says Dept. 16, notice says Dept. 39
Administrator
Xpand Legal Consulting
Official Website
Ross vs Sequoia
