Alameda County Rent Control Guide: Unincorporated Area Just Cause Rules and Selling a Rental

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Unincorporated Alameda County requires just cause for many rentals, but has no countywide rent cap

Alameda County’s Just Cause ordinance covers tenants in unincorporated areas such as San Lorenzo, Castro Valley, Ashland and Cherryland. Here is who is covered, what no-fault evictions cost, how rent caps work, and what it means if you sell.

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

Alameda County tenant protections at a glance

Where it applies	Unincorporated Alameda County only, such as San Lorenzo, Castro Valley, Ashland and Cherryland (the county’s flyer says unincorporated areas; cities have their own rules)
Just cause ordinance	Ordinance O-2025-9, in effect since March 6, 2025
Rent cap	No countywide residential rent cap found on county or Attorney General pages; the state cap of 5% plus CPI, up to 10%, applies
Covered tenants	Lived in the unit 12 months, or 24 months if another tenant was added to the lease
No-fault relocation	Two months of rent; 90 days notice for households with children, elderly, disabled or low-income members
Mediation	County rental dispute mediation ordinance, adopted December 2024
County contact	Community Development Agency, justcause@acgov.org

The just cause ordinance in unincorporated Alameda County

Alameda County adopted a Just Cause for Eviction ordinance, Ordinance O-2025-9, for the unincorporated parts of the county, and the county’s tenant flyer says it went into effect on March 6, 2025. Tenants covered by the ordinance cannot be evicted without a just cause.

The county’s own update to the Board of Supervisors says the ordinance adopts much of state law by reference but expands protections to single-family homes owned by larger rental property owners, raises relocation assistance for no-fault evictions and adds notice requirements. Landlords must file eviction notices with county staff.

At-fault reasons listed on the county flyer include non-payment of rent, breaking lease rules or subletting without consent, refusing entry after proper notice, nuisance or waste, criminal activity, unlawful use of the property, and refusing to leave after a tenant’s employment with the landlord ends.

No-fault reasons include the owner or a close family member moving in, taking the property off the rental market, a government order and demolition or substantial remodel.

For a no-fault eviction the landlord must provide two months of rent to help the tenant relocate, and households with children, elderly or disabled members or low income must receive 90 days notice.

Who is covered, and who is not

A tenant must have lived in the unit at least 12 months, or at least one tenant must have lived there 24 months if others were added to the lease.

The flyer lists exemptions: hotels, nonprofit housing such as churches and hospitals, dormitories, ADUs, single-family homes owned by landlords with fewer than five units, housing less than 15 years old, and affordable housing legally restricted to lower-income households.

That means a landlord with one or two rented houses in an unincorporated area is generally outside the county ordinance, although the statewide Tenant Protection Act may still apply to some of those homes, for example when a corporation owns them.

Additional protections: renovations and owner move-ins

Tenants displaced by major renovations have the right to return to their unit on the same lease terms once repairs are complete. If an owner evicts for owner move-in and then re-rents the unit within one year, the owner must offer it back to the evicted tenant first.

The county also has a rental dispute mediation ordinance, adopted in December 2024, which requires good faith participation by both sides once either party requests mediation.

The county’s mediation provider offers the service at no cost to users, though the county’s 2025 update says the program has handled only a few cases.

What about rent caps?

We did not find a countywide residential rent cap for unincorporated Alameda County on the county’s pages or in the Attorney General’s chart of local rent caps, which lists the cities of Alameda, Berkeley, Hayward, Oakland and San Leandro under Alameda County.

The county’s housing element describes a separate Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Ordinance that limits annual space rent increases in mobile home parks in unincorporated areas to a standard maximum of four percent. For most unincorporated rentals, the state cap in Civil Code 1947.12 is the one to watch.

Cities inside the county have their own rules. See our guides for Oakland, Berkeley, Hayward and Alameda.

How state law fits in

State law sets the floor everywhere in California. Under Civil Code 1947.12, a covered owner may not raise rent more than 5 percent plus the local change in the cost of living, or 10 percent, whichever is lower.

Under Civil Code 1946.2, most tenants who have lived in a unit for 12 months are protected by just cause rules. The Attorney General’s rent cap page explains that these state caps apply to most rental housing more than 15 years old, and that local caps that are lower control.

Single-family homes and condos not owned by a corporation, REIT or an LLC with a corporate member are generally outside the state cap and just cause rules if the landlord gave the required written notice, but a local ordinance can still reach them where state law allows.

Selling a rented Alameda County property

Rent rules matter at a sale because the buyer steps into the landlord’s shoes when escrow closes. The lease, the deposit and any protections the tenant has go with the property. A buyer who plans to keep the tenant wants a clean rent history.

A buyer who plans to live in the property needs to know whether the rules allow it and what it will cost.

Our statewide guide to selling a tenant-occupied home covers the basics, and our We Buy Houses in Alameda County page and Alameda County housing report cover the local market.

If you own a rented house or small building in Alameda County and want a simple exit, a cash sale can close as-is, with the tenant in place or on a plan that follows the county’s rules.

Documents to gather before you talk to a buyer

The signed lease or month-to-month agreement and the date each tenant moved in.
A rent ledger showing the amount and date of every increase.
Copies of every notice you served: rent increases, entry notices, cure and termination notices.
Proof of any city registration, posting or fee that the local rules require.
The security deposit amount and where it is held.
Open repair requests, permits or code complaints on the property.

Mistakes to avoid before a sale

The costly one is raising the rent or serving a termination notice right before listing without checking whether the increase is allowed or whether the notice states a valid reason. A defective notice can be void, and a buyer will price in the risk.

Another is promising a buyer a vacant house when the tenant has protections that make that uncertain. A third is skipping required city paperwork, which in some cities blocks rent increases until it is fixed.

If the property also has repair or permit problems, see our guide to selling as-is and the seller closing costs guide.

How to sell a house in Alameda County

Check whether your property is in an unincorporated area or inside a city with its own rules.
Find out whether the county ordinance or the state Tenant Protection Act covers your unit.
Request a no-obligation cash offer as-is.
Decide whether the buyer keeps the tenant or you follow the just cause and relocation rules for a vacant sale.
Close on your timeline with no repairs or commissions.

More local pages: We Buy Houses in Alameda County and the California guides hub.

Own a rented property in Alameda County? Get a cash offer and sell as-is.

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Frequently asked questions

Does Alameda County have rent control?

Not a countywide residential rent cap that we could find. The county has a Just Cause ordinance and a mediation ordinance for unincorporated areas, and a mobile home rent stabilization ordinance. Cities such as Oakland, Berkeley, Hayward and Alameda have their own rules.

Which areas does the county ordinance cover?

Unincorporated Alameda County, according to the county’s tenant flyer. Cities inside the county follow their own ordinances.

How much relocation does the county require?

Two months of rent for a no-fault eviction, with 90 days notice for households with children, elderly, disabled or low-income members.

Are single-family homes exempt?

The flyer exempts single-family homes owned by landlords with fewer than five units, and ADUs and housing less than 15 years old. State law may still apply.

Do landlords have to notify the county of evictions?

Yes. The county update says landlords must file eviction notices with county staff under the ordinance.

Where can tenants and landlords get help?

The county’s Community Development Agency at justcause@acgov.org, and legal aid such as Centro Legal de la Raza at 510-437-1554 listed on the county’s flyer.

More guides

Sources

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