Attorney General Bonta Issues Consumer Alerts on Allowable Rent Hike Limits

OAKLAND - California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued two consumer alerts regarding current legal limits on rent hikes. Entitled "Know Your Rights as a California Tenant," the first consumer alert outlines, for each county, the maximum annual rent increase permitted under state law - specifically, the Tenant Protection Act (TPA). Under the TPA, most landlords cannot raise rent more than 10% total or 5% plus the percentage change in the cost of living - whichever is lower - over a 12-month period. The second consumer alert summarizes local rent control or rent stabilization laws throughout California. If Californians live in a city or county with stronger rent protections than the TPA, the local law applies.

"At a time when rent prices continue to be a top concern for Californians, my office is publishing two consumer alerts to remind both landlords and tenants of the allowable rent-increase caps under the Tenant Protection Act and local law," said Attorney General Bonta. "The bottom line is this: The Tenant Protection Act sets a floor - not a ceiling. If your city or county has stronger rent-increase protections than those provided by the Tenant Protection Act, that city or county's protections take precedence."

Statewide Rent-Increase Caps Under TPA

The new limit on rent increases under the TPA took effect on August 1, 2024, and will remain in effect through July 31, 2025, when a new rent hike limit will take effect. The rent-increase caps apply to most rental housing in California that is more than 15 years old, including single-family homes and condos owned by corporations, mobilehomes rented from mobilehome park management, and housing rented by Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher recipients.

The change in the cost of living is measured using April Consumer Price Index information published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for the Los Angeles Area, Riverside Area, San Francisco Area, and San Diego Area. For all other counties, the change in the cost of living is measured using April California Consumer Price Index information published by the California Department of Industrial Relations. If no April data is available, March data is used.

The consumer alert on rent-increase caps under the TPA is available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Armenian (Eastern), Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Farsi, French, German, Hindi, Hmong, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Tagalog, Telugu, Thai, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.

Local Rent Control Laws

Local laws vary - they set different rent-increase caps and can have different ways of calculating those caps, often based on changes in the Consumer Price Index. The California Attorney General's Office is publishing a chart showing local rent stabilization laws, how they calculate their rent caps, and some key exemptions.

The consumer alert on local rent control laws is available in English, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.

Californians who are facing eviction or believe their landlord has violated their tenant rights should seek legal help immediately. If you cannot afford a lawyer, you may qualify for free or low-cost legal aid. To find a legal aid office near where you live, visit lawhelpca.org and click on the "Find Legal Help" tab. If you do not qualify for legal aid and need help finding a lawyer, visit the California State Bar webpage to find a local certified lawyer referral service, or visit the California Courts' webpage for tenants facing evictions.

The consumer alerts are available towards the end of the California DOJ webpage on Landlord-Tenant Issues.