Can a landlord, without warning, verbal or written, add fences and gates (with padlocks) to a single family rental?

Asked in Santa Cruz, CA - 3 months

When we first moved in to this 3br/2ba home with a single car garage that the landlord was using, there was a standard wooden fence around a large grassy backyard. Attached to the house was large wooden deck between the garage & the house. In the last month the landlord has put up fences limiting us to just the deck area & a very small portion of the backyard. The fences are solid wood & about 8ft high, with no less than 9 gates all with padlocks. Now he put a fence up between the back of the house and garage cutting off the deck from our backyard portion, also with a gate & combo lock. He says it is for our safety! However, he built a large shed with bedrooms in the back and converted the garage to studio with kitchen & bath. Gas, electric and water all off our meter. Not returning calls.