Alameda Rent Control Guide: Rent Cap, Just Cause and Selling a Rental

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Alameda caps rent on older multi-unit buildings and requires just cause on nearly all rentals

Alameda splits rentals into fully and partially regulated units. Here is what the Rent Ordinance means for a landlord, what a single-family rental owes, and how it affects a sale.

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

Alameda rent control at a glance

Local law	Alameda Rent Ordinance, Alameda Municipal Code section 6-58.10 and following
Rent cap formula	One increase per 12 months of 70% of the CPI change, up to 5%; up to 1% if CPI change is below 1%
Current cap	2.7% for September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027, per the California Attorney General
Fully regulated	Multi-unit properties built before February 1, 1995
Partially regulated	Single-family homes, condos and townhomes, and units built after February 1, 1995
Administrator	Alameda Rent Program

How the Alameda rent cap works

Alameda limits a rent increase to 70 percent of the change in the CPI, up to a maximum of 5 percent, and allows up to 1 percent if the CPI change falls below 1 percent. Only one increase is allowed in a 12-month period.

The California Attorney General’s list of local caps shows 2.7 percent for September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027. Landlords can bank unused increases, but may not impose more than an additional 3 percent beyond the general increase in any year. The cap does not apply to tenants with Section 8 vouchers.

Fully regulated and partially regulated units

Alameda’s rules do not treat every rental the same. A multi-unit property, meaning two or more units on a legal lot of record, built before February 1, 1995 is fully regulated, and that stays true even when the owner lives in one of the units.

Properties with a single unit on a lot, which includes single-family homes, condominiums and townhomes regardless of age, and units built after February 1, 1995 are partially regulated.

State law keeps the city from capping rent on those units, but they are still subject to the ordinance’s rules on terminations of tenancy, relocation payments, registration and program fees.

If you rent out a single-family house in Alameda, that matters.

You are not bound by the city’s rent cap, but you do need just cause to end the tenancy, you must pay relocation when a tenant is displaced through no fault of their own, and you must register the tenancy and pay a reduced annual program fee.

If you raise the rent more than 10 percent on a partially regulated unit and the tenant moves out within three months, the tenant may be owed a permanent relocation payment, and the landlord must tell the tenant about that when giving the notice.

Registration, fees and what happens if you skip them

Landlords must register rental units and pay an annual Rent Program fee. For fully regulated units, a landlord who has not registered or paid cannot lawfully raise the rent or file a petition for an upward adjustment, including a capital improvement petition.

The program also lists late fees of 10 percent per unit per month on unpaid fees and possible administrative citations. If you are preparing to sell, bring registration and fees current first, since a buyer or title company may ask.

Which Alameda rentals are exempt

Some units are outside every part of the ordinance.

The list includes units that are fully affordable under a regulatory agreement, units owned by the Housing Authority, stays of 30 consecutive days or less, hotel and boarding rooms, mobile homes, commercial units, hospitals and care facilities, and a unit where the owner lives and shares a kitchen or bath with the tenant.

The city’s FAQ points to section 6-58.20 of the ordinance for the full list.

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.

A rule that surprises Alameda home sellers

The Rent Program’s FAQ warns about sale-leaseback arrangements, where a seller stays in the house after closing. Such an agreement can create a tenancy and give the former owner just cause protections, and the ordinance does not let tenants waive their rights.

If the former owner does not move out, the new owner may have to serve a no-fault termination and pay the required relocation payment. If you plan to stay after selling, write the terms carefully and ask the Rent Program before you sign.

Selling a rented Alameda 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 tenant-occupied page shows how a cash sale works when the house is rented.

If you own a rented Alameda house or small building and want out, a cash sale lets the buyer take the property as-is, with the tenant in place or with a plan you set in advance.

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 fee or required notice to the city, where the city asks for one.
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 city paperwork, which in some cities blocks future rent increases until it is cured.

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, ask the city or a landlord-tenant attorney 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 Alameda

Check whether your property is fully or partially regulated.
Bring registration and program fees current with the Rent Program.
Gather the lease, rent ledger and notices you served.
Request a no-obligation cash offer as-is.
Decide whether the buyer keeps the tenant, then close on your timeline.

More local pages: We Buy Houses in Alameda, selling as-is, selling fast, and the Alameda County hub.

Own a rented Alameda property? Get a cash offer and skip the repairs and showings.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Alameda rent increase limit?

The California Attorney General lists 2.7 percent for September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027. The formula is 70 percent of the CPI change, up to 5 percent, with a minimum of up to 1 percent when CPI change is below 1 percent.

Does Alameda rent control apply to single-family homes?

The rent cap does not, because state law prevents it. But a rented single-family house is still subject to the ordinance’s rules on terminations, relocation payments, registration and a reduced annual program fee.

Do I have to register my Alameda rental?

Yes. Landlords register rental units and pay an annual program fee. Single-family homes and condos pay a reduced fee. Fully regulated landlords who do not register cannot lawfully raise rent.

Can I evict my Alameda tenant to sell the house?

Selling is not a just cause on its own. You can sell with the tenant in place, or end the tenancy only for a reason the ordinance allows, which may require a relocation payment.

What buildings are fully regulated in Alameda?

Multi-unit properties built before February 1, 1995, meaning two or more units on a legal lot, even if the owner lives in one of them.

Where do I get official answers?

The Alameda Rent Program, which administers the Rent Ordinance.

More guides

Sources

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