California Rent Control Map 2026: Every City with Local Ordinances

California Has Two Layers of Rent Control

If you own rental property in California, you probably know about AB 1482 — the statewide Tenant Protection Act that caps annual rent increases at 5% plus local CPI (maximum 10%). What many landlords don’t realize is that AB 1482 is only the floor. Thirty-three cities and counties across California impose their own, stricter rent control ordinances that override the state baseline for covered properties.

This means a landlord in Sacramento can raise rent by 7.7% under AB 1482, while a landlord 90 miles away in Oakland is limited to 0.8%. A landlord in Fresno has no local ordinance to worry about, while a landlord in San Francisco must register every unit, pay per-unit fees, and cap increases at 1.7%. Same state, completely different compliance obligations.

This guide maps every California jurisdiction with local rent control, organized into three tiers: full rent control programs with binding caps, just cause eviction-only ordinances, and mediation or rent review programs. If you’re self-managing your rental properties, knowing which tier your city falls into is a baseline compliance requirement.

How to Read This Guide

California’s rent control landscape breaks into three tiers:

• Tier 1 — Full Rent Control Programs: These cities set their own annual rent increase cap, typically based on a percentage of CPI, that is lower than what AB 1482 would allow. Most also require landlord registration, impose per-unit fees, and mandate relocation assistance for no-fault evictions. If your property is in a Tier 1 city, you follow the local ordinance, not AB 1482, for covered units.
• Tier 2 — Just Cause Eviction Only: These cities adopted just cause eviction protections but did not set a local rent cap. You still follow AB 1482 for rent increases, but you have additional eviction procedure requirements under local law.
• Tier 3 — Mediation or Rent Review: These cities offer voluntary or mandatory mediation programs for rent disputes. They don’t set binding caps, but they create a formal process that can influence outcomes if a tenant challenges an increase.

For each jurisdiction, we list the cap formula, current effective rate, construction year cutoff for coverage, and whether registration is required. All rates reflect the most current data as of mid-2026.

Tier 1: Full Rent Control Programs — Every City and Cap Rate

These 24 jurisdictions impose binding annual rent increase caps that are stricter than AB 1482. If your property is located in one of these cities and was built before the applicable cutoff year, you must follow the local ordinance. The local cap replaces AB 1482’s 5% + CPI formula for covered units.

City	Cap Formula	Current Rate	Coverage Cutoff	Registration Required
Oakland	100% of CPI	0.8%	Before Jan 1, 1983	Yes — $68/unit/year
Berkeley	65% of CPI	1.0%	Before Jun 1980	Yes — $238/unit/year
Alameda	70% of CPI	1.0%	Before Feb 2015	Yes — $71/unit/year
Bell Gardens	80% of CPI, min 2%, max 5%	1.5%	Before Feb 1, 1995	Yes
Richmond	100% of CPI	1.5%	Before Feb 1, 1995	Yes — $196/unit/year
San Francisco	60% of CPI	1.7%	Before Jun 13, 1979	Yes — included in business registration
Los Angeles County (Unincorporated)	CPI or 3%, whichever is lower	1.93%	Before Feb 1, 1995	Yes — $55/unit/year
East Palo Alto	80% of CPI	2.2%	Before Nov 23, 2010	Yes — $175/unit/year
West Hollywood	75% of CPI	2.25%	Before Jul 1, 1979	Yes — $144/unit/year
Pasadena	75% of CPI, max 5%	2.25%	Before Feb 1, 1995	Yes
Santa Monica	75% of CPI	2.3%	Before Apr 10, 1979	Yes — $225/unit/year
Santa Ana	80% of CPI, max 3%	2.42%	Before Feb 1, 1995	Yes
Mountain View	100% of CPI, max 5%	2.7%	Before Feb 1, 1995	Yes — $155/unit/year
Los Angeles	CPI-based (3-8%), set annually by LAHD	3.0%	Before Oct 1, 1978	Yes — $43.32/unit/year
Beverly Hills	CPI-based, max 8%	3.0%	Before Sep 20, 1978	Yes — $144/unit/year
Baldwin Park	80% of CPI or 3%, whichever is greater	3.0%	Before Feb 1, 1995	Yes
Maywood	CPI or 3%, whichever is greater	3.0%	Before Feb 1, 1995	Yes
Culver City	CPI or 3%, whichever is greater, max 5%	3.25%	Before Feb 1, 1995	Yes — $101/unit/year
Inglewood	CPI-based, 3-8% depending on unit type	3.6% / 8.6%	Before Feb 1, 1995	Yes — $55/unit/year
San Jose	5% flat cap	5.0%	Before Sep 7, 1979	Yes — $20/unit/year
Hayward	5% or CPI, whichever is lower	5.0%	Before Jul 1, 1979	Yes — $89/unit/year
Pomona	CPI or 5%, whichever is lower	5.0%	Before Feb 1, 1995	Yes
Concord	5% flat cap	5.0%	Before Feb 1, 1995	Yes
Sacramento	5% + CPI (same formula as AB 1482)	7.7%	Before Feb 1, 1995	No

Reading the Table: What Each Column Means

Cap Formula describes how the city calculates its maximum annual rent increase. Most use some percentage of the regional Consumer Price Index. A formula like “60% of CPI” means if CPI is 3%, the maximum increase is 1.8%. Some cities use a flat cap (San Jose at 5%) or set floor and ceiling percentages.

Current Rate is the maximum allowable annual increase as of mid-2026, based on the most recently published CPI data for that region. These rates change annually — typically updated each spring when the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes April-to-April CPI figures.

Coverage Cutoff is the construction year threshold. If your building received its certificate of occupancy after this date, local rent control generally does not apply, and you follow AB 1482 instead. Most cities use 1995 (aligning with the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act), but some Bay Area cities use earlier dates from the late 1970s when their original ordinances were enacted.

Registration indicates whether the city requires landlords to register covered rental units. Most Tier 1 cities do, and per-unit fees can add up significantly for larger portfolios. Failure to register can result in fines and may weaken your legal position in any rent dispute.

The Wide Range: 0.8% to 7.7%

The spread across these 24 jurisdictions is enormous. An Oakland landlord charging $2,000 per month can raise rent by a maximum of $16 per month under the city’s 0.8% cap. A Sacramento landlord with the same rent can increase by $154 per month — nearly ten times more. Both are in Northern California. Both are following their local rules.

This disparity catches landlords who own properties in multiple cities. If you have units in both San Jose (5% cap) and Berkeley (1.0% cap), you cannot apply the same rent increase strategy across your portfolio. Each city requires individual compliance tracking, and the penalties for exceeding the local cap can include tenant recovery of excess rent, punitive damages, and attorney’s fees.

Inglewood’s Split Rate

Inglewood is the only city in California with a split rate structure. Units in buildings with four or fewer units are capped at 8.6%, while units in buildings with five or more units are capped at 3.6%. This means a landlord owning both a triplex and a 10-unit building in Inglewood must apply different cap rates to each property. Check the Inglewood Rent Stabilization Division for current rates.

Sacramento’s Unique Position

Sacramento’s Tenant Protection and Relief Act adopted the same 5% + CPI formula as AB 1482, which means the effective cap is identical to the state law. However, Sacramento’s ordinance covers some properties that AB 1482 exempts — including certain single-family homes and condos owned by corporate entities. If you own rental property in Sacramento, the practical impact is that the local ordinance reinforces AB 1482 rather than adding a stricter cap, but it may eliminate some exemptions you’d otherwise have under state law alone.

Tier 2: Just Cause Eviction Only — No Local Rent Cap

Seven California cities have adopted just cause eviction protections without imposing a local rent cap. In these cities, you follow AB 1482 for rent increases (5% + CPI, max 10%), but you face additional local eviction procedure requirements beyond what state law mandates.

City	Rent Cap	Just Cause Eviction	Key Local Requirement
Emeryville	AB 1482 (no local cap)	Yes	Mandatory registration; relocation assistance required for no-fault evictions
Burbank	AB 1482 (no local cap)	Yes	Landlord-tenant commission mediates disputes
Glendale	AB 1482 (no local cap)	Yes	Relocation assistance for no-fault evictions above AB 1482 minimums
San Diego	AB 1482 (no local cap)	Yes	Enhanced relocation assistance requirements; tenant protection ordinance effective 2023
Chula Vista	AB 1482 (no local cap)	Yes	Mandatory relocation assistance for no-fault evictions
Imperial Beach	AB 1482 (no local cap)	Yes	Just cause protections apply to units built before Feb 1995
Long Beach	AB 1482 (no local cap)	Yes	Tenant relocation assistance ordinance; proactive rental inspection program

The practical impact of Tier 2 cities is primarily around evictions, not rent increases. However, several of these cities — particularly San Diego, Glendale, and Long Beach — mandate relocation assistance amounts that exceed the one month’s rent minimum under AB 1482. If you’re planning a no-fault eviction (owner move-in, substantial remodel, or Ellis Act withdrawal), check your city’s specific relocation requirement before serving notice.

Emeryville is worth special attention. While it doesn’t set a rent cap below AB 1482, it does require mandatory registration of all rental units and imposes some of the most detailed just cause eviction procedures in the state. Landlords who fail to register in Emeryville face significant fines and may lose standing in eviction proceedings.

Tier 3: Mediation and Rent Review Programs

Seven California cities operate voluntary or mandatory mediation programs for rent disputes. These programs don’t set binding rent caps, but they create a formal process that tenants can invoke when they believe a rent increase is unreasonable. In practice, these programs function as soft rent control — they create friction and public accountability around large increases without technically prohibiting them.

City	Program Type	Binding?	How It Works
Los Gatos	Mediation	No	Tenant can request mediation for increases above 5%; non-binding but public
Ojai	Rent Review	Advisory	Voluntary rent review board; issues public recommendations
Larkspur	Mediation	No	Tenant-initiated mediation for rent disputes; town-facilitated
Union City	Rent Review	Advisory	Rent review board hears tenant petitions; advisory recommendations only
Campbell	Mediation	No	City-facilitated mediation for landlord-tenant disputes including rent
Fremont	Rent Review	Advisory	Residential rent review ordinance; hearing examiner issues advisory decisions
Gardena	Mediation	No	Landlord-tenant mediation program; covers rent disputes and habitability

For landlords in Tier 3 cities, the key takeaway is that while these programs don’t impose binding caps, they create a paper trail. If a tenant requests mediation and you decline to participate or reject the mediator’s recommendation, that history can surface in any future legal proceeding. Many experienced landlords in these cities voluntarily keep increases moderate — not because they’re legally required to, but because the mediation process itself is time-consuming and creates reputational risk in smaller communities.

Key Patterns Across California’s Rent Control Map

Bay Area vs. Southern California

The Bay Area dominates the strictest end of the spectrum. Oakland (0.8%), Berkeley (1.0%), Alameda (1.0%), San Francisco (1.7%), and East Palo Alto (2.2%) are all in the bottom five. These cities adopted rent control ordinances decades ago — most in the late 1970s and early 1980s — and have maintained aggressive CPI-based formulas ever since.

Southern California’s rent control landscape is newer and generally less restrictive. Los Angeles (3.0%), Beverly Hills (3.0%), and West Hollywood (2.25%) are the major legacy programs. The newer adopters — Santa Ana, Pasadena, Pomona, Baldwin Park, Culver City, Inglewood, and Maywood — mostly appeared after 2019, often modeled on the Costa-Hawkins framework with a February 1, 1995 cutoff. These newer ordinances tend to use higher CPI percentages and include floor provisions (minimum 2-3% increases regardless of CPI).

Construction Year Cutoffs

Understanding the coverage cutoff is critical because it determines whether your specific property is subject to local rent control at all. Four distinct cutoff patterns exist:

• Late 1970s cutoffs (1978-1979): Los Angeles, San Francisco, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, San Jose, Hayward. These cities enacted their original ordinances during the tax revolt era following Proposition 13. Only the oldest rental stock is covered.
• Early 1980s cutoffs: Oakland (1983), Berkeley (1980). Similar era, slightly later adoption.
• 1995 cutoff (Costa-Hawkins alignment): The majority of newer ordinances — Bell Gardens, Richmond, LA County, Pasadena, Santa Ana, Mountain View, Baldwin Park, Maywood, Culver City, Inglewood, Pomona, Concord, Sacramento, Imperial Beach. These cities adopted or updated their ordinances after the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act of 1995 and use its default cutoff date.
• Extended cutoffs: Alameda (2015) and East Palo Alto (2010) are notable exceptions. By setting later cutoff dates, these cities cover a much larger share of their rental housing stock, including buildings constructed in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s that would be exempt in most other jurisdictions.

If your property was built after the applicable cutoff date, local rent control does not apply, and you follow AB 1482 instead. But remember that AB 1482 itself has a rolling 15-year exemption for newer construction — a property built in 2012 becomes subject to AB 1482 in 2027.

CPI Formula Variations

Not all “CPI-based” formulas are created equal. The percentage of CPI that cities use as their cap creates enormous variation even when underlying inflation is the same:

• 60% of CPI: San Francisco — the most aggressive CPI discount
• 65% of CPI: Berkeley
• 70% of CPI: Alameda
• 75% of CPI: West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Pasadena
• 80% of CPI: East Palo Alto, Bell Gardens, Santa Ana, Baldwin Park
• 100% of CPI: Oakland, Richmond, Mountain View — full CPI passthrough with no discount
• Flat cap: San Jose (5%), Concord (5%), Hayward (5% or CPI, whichever is lower)

When regional CPI is 3%, a city using 60% of CPI caps increases at 1.8%, while a city using 100% of CPI allows 3.0%. That 1.2 percentage point difference compounds significantly over multiple years. Over a decade, the cumulative difference in allowable rent growth between a 60% CPI city and a 100% CPI city can exceed 15% of total rent.

Registration Fees

Registration fees are an often-overlooked cost of operating in a rent-controlled city. They range from $20 per unit per year (San Jose) to $238 per unit per year (Berkeley). For a 10-unit building in Berkeley, that’s $2,380 annually — a meaningful operating expense that should be factored into your acquisition underwriting.

Some cities fold registration into existing business license fees (San Francisco), while others operate standalone registration programs with dedicated enforcement staff. Failure to register can result in fines ranging from $250 to $5,000 per unit, depending on the jurisdiction, and may prevent you from filing lawful rent increases or eviction notices.

Relocation Assistance

When a landlord in a rent-controlled city initiates a no-fault eviction — owner move-in, Ellis Act withdrawal, substantial renovation — most local ordinances require relocation assistance payments to displaced tenants. These amounts vary dramatically:

• Lower end ($6,000-$8,000): Smaller cities and newer ordinances
• Mid-range ($10,000-$15,000): Los Angeles, Mountain View, most 1995-cutoff cities
• Upper end ($16,000-$26,000): San Francisco, Santa Monica, Berkeley, West Hollywood

San Francisco’s relocation payments are among the highest in the country, with amounts adjusted annually for inflation and additional premiums for elderly, disabled, and minor tenants. A no-fault eviction of a family with children in San Francisco can trigger relocation obligations exceeding $25,000 per unit. These costs are in addition to any AB 1482 relocation assistance requirements.

Upcoming Changes: New Rent Control Ordinances in 2026-2027

California’s rent control map is not static. Two jurisdictions are adding or expanding rent control protections in the near future:

San Leandro — Effective January 1, 2027

San Leandro’s rent stabilization ordinance takes effect January 1, 2027. The cap is set at 65% of CPI or 3%, whichever is lower. Based on current CPI trends, the initial effective cap would be approximately 2.0-2.5%. The ordinance covers rental units in buildings with two or more units built before February 1, 1995. Registration will be required, with fees to be announced.

Landlords with properties in San Leandro should begin tracking tenant rent histories now and ensure their rental agreements are compliant with the new ordinance requirements before the effective date.

Redwood City — November 2026 Ballot Measure

Redwood City has a rent stabilization measure on the November 2026 ballot. If passed, it would establish a CPI-based rent cap and just cause eviction protections for units built before February 1, 1995. The specific cap formula will be determined by the ballot measure language. Landlords with properties in Redwood City should monitor the election results and prepare for potential compliance requirements starting in early 2027.

Beyond these two confirmed additions, several other California cities — including Antioch, National City, and Stockton — have active tenant protection advocacy campaigns that could produce ballot measures or council votes in the 2027-2028 cycle. The trend is clearly toward expansion, not contraction, of local rent control in California.

How AB 1482 and Local Ordinances Interact

The relationship between AB 1482 and local rent control is straightforward in principle but can be confusing in practice:

• If your city has a local rent cap: You follow whichever is stricter. Since every Tier 1 city’s cap is lower than AB 1482’s 5% + CPI formula, you follow the local ordinance for covered units.
• If your property is exempt from local rent control (built after the cutoff year): AB 1482 applies, assuming the property isn’t also exempt from AB 1482 (newer than 15 years, owner-occupied duplex, etc.).
• Just cause eviction applies from both layers: If your city has local just cause protections AND AB 1482 applies, you must comply with whichever is more protective of the tenant.
• Exemption notices are separate: The AB 1482 exemption notice and any local ordinance exemption notice are different documents. You may need to provide both if your property qualifies for exemptions under each law.

The most common compliance failure is landlords who know about AB 1482 but don’t realize their city has a separate ordinance with lower caps, registration requirements, and different coverage rules. This is especially true for landlords who acquired properties recently in cities that adopted rent control after 2019.

How to Look Up Your City’s Rent Control Rules

Follow these steps to determine your compliance obligations:

1. Identify your city: If your property is in an unincorporated area, check whether the county has its own ordinance (Los Angeles County does; most other counties do not).
2. Check the Tier 1 table above: If your city is listed, go to the city’s rent board or housing department website for the current cap rate and registration requirements.
3. Determine your property’s construction date: Pull the certificate of occupancy from your county assessor’s records. Compare it to the coverage cutoff in the table.
4. Check for unit-type exclusions: Some ordinances exclude single-family homes, condos, or buildings below a certain unit count even if the building predates the cutoff.
5. Register if required: If your city requires registration, complete it immediately. Operating an unregistered unit in a registration-required city exposes you to fines and may invalidate rent increases you’ve already served.
6. Calculate your maximum increase: Use your city’s specific formula, not the AB 1482 formula. Many city rent boards publish the current year’s maximum allowable increase on their website each spring.
7. Set up annual monitoring: CPI figures change every year, and cities occasionally amend their ordinances. Automated compliance tracking ensures you don’t miss a change.

If your city is not listed in any of the three tiers above, AB 1482 is your governing law. Use the AB 1482 Rent Cap Calculator to determine your maximum allowable increase based on your regional CPI.

City Rent Board Links

For the most current rates, registration forms, and ordinance text, visit your city’s rent board directly:

• Oakland Rent Adjustment Program
• Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board
• Alameda Rent Review
• Richmond Rent Program
• San Francisco Rent Board
• LA County Rent Stabilization
• East Palo Alto Rent Stabilization
• West Hollywood Rent Stabilization
• Santa Monica Rent Control Board
• Mountain View CSFRA
• Los Angeles LAHD Rent Stabilization
• Beverly Hills Rent Stabilization
• San Jose Apartment Rent Ordinance
• Hayward Rent Review
• Culver City Tenant Protection
• Inglewood Rent Stabilization

“The landlords who get into trouble aren’t the ones who intentionally violate rent control. They’re the ones who bought a property in a city that adopted an ordinance after their purchase, and nobody told them the rules changed. If you own property in California, checking this map annually isn’t optional — it’s risk management.”

— Rachid Abadli, Founder & CEO at LeaseBase, Sacramento landlord managing under AB 1482

Frequently Asked Questions

How many California cities have rent control?

As of mid-2026, 24 California cities and counties have full rent control programs with binding rent caps stricter than AB 1482. An additional seven cities have just cause eviction ordinances without local rent caps, and seven more operate mediation or rent review programs. In total, approximately 38 jurisdictions have some form of local tenant protection beyond the statewide AB 1482 baseline, with more expected to adopt ordinances in 2027-2028.

Does AB 1482 apply if my city has local rent control?

Both laws apply simultaneously, and you must follow whichever is stricter. In practice, this almost always means following the local ordinance for rent increases, because every Tier 1 city’s cap is lower than AB 1482’s 5% + CPI formula. However, AB 1482’s just cause eviction protections may still add requirements beyond your local ordinance — particularly the 12-month tenancy threshold and the specific list of at-fault and no-fault just causes. You should treat both laws as concurrent obligations, not alternatives. For detailed AB 1482 compliance, see our AB 1482 Rent Cap Calculator and California Landlord Checklist.

What is the strictest rent control in California?

Oakland currently has the lowest effective rent cap in California at 0.8%, followed by Berkeley and Alameda at 1.0%. San Francisco’s cap is 1.7%. These Bay Area cities use CPI-based formulas with aggressive discount factors (60-70% of CPI) and have maintained strict rent control for over 40 years. By contrast, the strictest Southern California caps are West Hollywood (2.25%) and Santa Monica (2.3%). The statewide AB 1482 cap is significantly higher — currently ranging from 6.3% to 8.8% depending on region.

Can local rent control be repealed?

Yes, but it rarely happens. Local rent control ordinances can be repealed by city council vote or ballot measure, but the political dynamics in most rent-controlled cities make repeal extremely unlikely. The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (1995) limits what local ordinances can do — for example, they cannot apply rent control to single-family homes or units built after 1995 (with some exceptions for cities that had pre-existing ordinances covering those categories). Two statewide ballot measures to repeal Costa-Hawkins (Propositions 10 in 2018 and 21 in 2020) both failed, but tenant advocacy groups continue to push for expanded local authority. The trend in California is clearly toward more local rent control, not less.

Do I need to register my rental property for local rent control?

Most Tier 1 cities require landlord registration of covered rental units. Registration fees range from $20 per unit per year (San Jose) to $238 per unit per year (Berkeley). Failure to register can result in fines, invalidation of rent increases, and weakened legal standing in eviction proceedings. Check your city’s rent board website for registration requirements and deadlines. Some cities impose late fees or penalties for retroactive registration.

What happens if I exceed the local rent cap?

The tenant can file a complaint with the city’s rent board, which may order you to roll back the increase and refund any excess rent collected. In some cities, willful violations carry additional penalties including fines and restrictions on future rent increases. If the matter goes to court, tenants can recover excess rent, punitive damages, and attorney’s fees under both local ordinances and AB 1482. The safest approach is to calculate your maximum increase conservatively and document your calculation in case of a dispute.

Does rent control apply to commercial properties?

No. California’s rent control laws — both AB 1482 and local ordinances — apply only to residential rental properties. Commercial leases are not subject to rent caps, just cause eviction, or registration requirements under any current California law.

How do I know if my property is “covered” by local rent control?

Check three things: (1) Is the property located within city limits of a Tier 1 jurisdiction? (2) Was the building constructed before the city’s coverage cutoff date? (3) Does the property type qualify — most ordinances cover multi-family buildings but may exclude single-family homes, condos, or buildings below a certain unit count. If all three conditions are met, your property is likely covered. Contact your city’s rent board for a definitive determination if you’re unsure.

Track Every Jurisdiction Automatically

Manually tracking rent caps, CPI updates, registration deadlines, and ordinance changes across multiple California jurisdictions is a compliance burden that grows with your portfolio. One missed update can result in an unlawful rent increase, tenant complaints, and financial penalties.

LeaseBase tracks local rent control compliance automatically for each of your properties — including your city’s current cap rate, maximum allowable increase, registration status, and any ordinance changes. When CPI data is published each spring, your dashboard updates with the new maximum increase for every property in your portfolio, across every jurisdiction. If you manage properties in multiple cities, you see a unified compliance view instead of checking a dozen rent board websites.

Whether you’re managing one unit in San Francisco or twenty across Oakland, San Jose, and Los Angeles, knowing your exact compliance obligations for each property is the baseline requirement. This guide gives you the map. Automated compliance monitoring keeps it current.

Related Reading

• AB 1482 Rent Cap Calculator — Calculate Your Maximum Increase
• California Landlord Compliance Checklist
• Why More California Landlords Are Self-Managing
• California Rent Increase Notice Requirements 2026
• Common Rent Increase Mistakes and Penalties
• California Security Deposit Laws 2026: Complete Landlord Guide
• 2026 California Independent Landlord Report — Market Data and Trends
• Property Manager vs. Self-Managing: Full Cost Comparison