Alhambra Rent Control Guide: Tenant Protections, Relocation Pay and Selling a Rental

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Alhambra follows the state rent cap and raised no-fault relocation pay to three months in 2026

Alhambra has no local rent cap, but a July 2026 ordinance raises relocation assistance for certain no-fault evictions. Here is what it covers, what state law adds, and what it means if you plan to sell.

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Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team.

Alhambra rent rules at a glance

Local rent cap	None found. The state cap applies where covered: 5% plus local CPI, or 10%, whichever is lower
Local ordinance	Chapter 6.29, Residential Tenant Protections, added by Ordinance O2M26-4861, adopted July 27, 2026
No-fault relocation	Three months’ rent or a waiver of the final three months’ rent, at the owner’s option, instead of the state’s one month
Smaller properties	The three-month amount does not apply to property with four or fewer units, except for demolition or substantial remodel
Effect of a violation	A termination notice that fails the requirement is void
City office	Housing Division, Management Services Department

Alhambra adds to state relocation rules, not to the rent cap

Alhambra does not run its own rent-stabilization program.

The city’s tenant protection page says its ordinance does not change the state’s rent cap or just cause eviction laws, which means the Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482, as amended by SB 567) is the rulebook for rent increases and for the reasons a landlord may end a tenancy.

What the city did change is the amount owed to a tenant in a no-fault termination.

The 2026 relocation assistance ordinance

On July 27, 2026, the City Council adopted Ordinance O2M26-4861, which added Chapter 6.29 to the Municipal Code. State law requires an owner who ends a tenancy for a no-fault reason to pay one month of rent or waive the last month.

Under the new chapter the amount rises to three months’ rent, or a waiver of the final three months of the tenancy, at the owner’s option. The ordinance takes effect 40 days after adoption.

Other than for a demolition or substantial remodel, it does not apply to a property with four or fewer units, so many small rentals are covered only when the owner plans to demolish or substantially remodel.

The ordinance is enforced through the termination notice. A notice that does not strictly follow the requirement is void, and a tenant may raise the requirement as a defense in an eviction case, in addition to the remedies in Civil Code 1946.2(h).

The ordinance also says it does not limit any other right a tenant has under the state act. Before you serve a no-fault notice, confirm with the city that the chapter is in effect for your property and how the payment is to be made.

What counts as a no-fault termination

Under Civil Code 1946.2, no-fault reasons include the owner or a close family member moving in, taking the unit off the rental market, demolition or a substantial remodel that requires the tenant to leave, and an order from a government agency to vacate.

At-fault reasons such as non-payment of rent, a material lease violation, nuisance or waste do not carry a relocation payment. Protections start after a tenant has lived in the unit for 12 months, or 24 months if another tenant was added.

Which Alhambra rentals the state rules cover

The state act has exemptions that matter to people who own a rented house.

A single-family home or condominium owned by an individual, rather than a real estate investment trust, a corporation or an LLC with a corporate member, can be outside the state cap and just cause rules if the tenant received the written exemption notice the statute requires.

Housing issued a certificate of occupancy within the last 15 years, a duplex where the owner lives in one unit, and deed-restricted affordable housing are also exempt. The city’s tenant FAQ notes the exemption-notice requirement.

If you are unsure whether your rental is covered, the city’s Housing Division can point you to the right section.

State law sets the floor everywhere. Under Civil Code 1947.12, a covered owner may not raise the rent more than 5 percent plus the local change in the cost of living, or 10 percent, whichever is lower, and that section remains in effect until January 1, 2030.

The statute exempts, among other things, housing issued a certificate of occupancy within the previous 15 years, housing already under a stricter local cap, and a single-family home or condominium that is not owned by a real estate investment trust, a corporation or an LLC with a corporate member, as long as the written exemption notice was given to the tenant.

How the rules play out for an owner selling an Alhambra rental

For a seller, the new relocation rule is most relevant to buyers who want the property vacant.

A buyer who plans to move in or remodel a building with five or more units has to budget three months of rent per tenant, and a buyer of a small building who plans to demolish or substantially remodel faces the same figure.

That cost is part of what a buyer will weigh against the price. If the buyer is happy to keep the tenant, none of it is triggered at closing.

Selling a rented Alhambra house

Rent rules matter at the sale because a buyer steps into your landlord role the day escrow closes. The tenant’s lease, deposit and any protections under the rules above go with the property.

A cash buyer who plans to keep the tenant needs a clean rent history; a buyer who plans to occupy the house needs to know whether the law lets them end the tenancy and what it will cost.

Our statewide guide to selling a tenant-occupied home walks through the basics, and our sell a tenant-occupied house in Alhambra page shows how a cash sale works when the house is rented.

If you own a rented Alhambra house, duplex or small building, a cash sale can close as-is, with the tenant in place or on a timeline that follows the rules.

Documents to gather before you talk to a buyer

The signed lease or month-to-month agreement, plus any addenda and the date each tenant moved in.
A rent ledger showing the amount and date of every increase over the last few years.
Copies of every notice you served: rent increases, entry notices, cure or termination notices.
Proof of any registration, program notice or fee the Alhambra rules call for.
The security deposit amount and where it is held.
Any open repair requests, permits or code complaints on the unit.

Common mistakes landlords make before a sale

The most expensive mistake is raising the rent or serving a termination notice right before listing without checking whether the increase is allowed or the notice states a valid reason.

A notice that does not follow the rules can be void, and it can give the tenant a defense that a buyer will price in. A second mistake is promising a buyer the house will be vacant when the tenant has protections that make that uncertain. A third is skipping required local paperwork or notices.

If the tenant is cooperating, many sellers simply sell with the tenant in place and let the buyer decide. If you want the house vacant, check what notice, reason and payment the rules require before you offer a buyout or serve anything. When the house also needs repairs or has unfinished permits, see our guide to selling as-is and the cost list in our seller closing costs guide.

How to sell a house in Alhambra

Confirm whether your rental is covered by the state act and whether Chapter 6.29 applies to your building.
Gather the lease, rent ledger and every notice you served.
Request a no-obligation cash offer as-is.
Decide whether the buyer keeps the tenant or you follow the notice and relocation rules for a vacant sale.
Close on your timeline with no repairs or commissions.

More local pages: We Buy Houses in Alhambra, Los Angeles County hub.

Own a rented Alhambra property? Get a cash offer and sell with or without the tenant.

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Frequently asked questions

Does Alhambra have rent control?

Not its own cap, as far as the city’s pages show. The city says its ordinance does not change the state’s rent cap or just cause rules, so the Tenant Protection Act’s limit of 5 percent plus CPI, or 10 percent, applies where the unit is covered.

What did Alhambra’s 2026 ordinance change?

Ordinance O2M26-4861, adopted July 27, 2026, adds Chapter 6.29. It raises the relocation payment for a no-fault termination from one month to three months’ rent, or a waiver of the final three months, at the owner’s option.

Does the three-month relocation rule apply to small properties?

Other than for a demolition or substantial remodel, the ordinance does not apply to a property with four or fewer units.

What happens if an owner doesn’t comply?

The ordinance says a termination notice that fails to strictly comply is void, and a tenant may use the requirement as a defense in an eviction action.

Are Alhambra single-family rentals covered by state rent cap rules?

A single-family home or condo owned by an individual is outside the state cap and just cause rules if the written exemption notice was given to the tenant. Corporate, REIT and certain LLC owners do not qualify for that exemption.

When does the ordinance take effect?

The text says it takes effect 40 days after adoption. Confirm the date and how it applies to notices already served with the city’s Housing Division.

More guides

Sources

This guide is general information from public sources, not legal advice. Confirm current rules, fees and hours with the city.