Does an eviction change my California security deposit rights?

It shifts one thing and leaves everything else in place. An eviction determines exactly when the landlord legally regained possession, which is the date your 21-day clock actually starts, and it can give him grounds to offset unpaid rent against what he owes you.

What doesn't change: the 21-day deadline itself, the requirement to itemize deductions, and the AB 2801 photo documentation duty mentioned earlier all still apply exactly as they would for any other move-out. Think of it as shifting when the clock starts, while leaving every underlying duty untouched.