My wife and I are living in abroom for rent and I became late on the payment. Can the landlord just change the locks or if they have to legally go through the eviction process?

Now they can not contact the department of Fair labor and housing a landlord has to go through a legal process

The ca Landlord Tenant Laws in Ca state 1. Legal legislation states a landlord must serve a writ of unlawful detainer/ serve you with a 3 day pay or quit notice/NON COMPLIANCE/serve a notice to vacate usually 72 hrs/ landlord returns to property if vacated / If Not they have to begin the court eviction process. Serve you in which you have mandated time to respond with payment or render unit. Non compliant-THE SHERIFF WILL PHYSICALLY SEIZE the unit through the legal eviction process/30days (before anything) is done

You'll have to talk to an officer about that. Call the non emergency number 734-8117 and they should be able to have an officer call you when they have time.