Half Moon Bay council introduces repeal of rent control, rental registry

Half Moon Bay rental housing providers moved a step closer to the end of the city's local rent control and rental registry programs after the City Council voted Tuesday to introduce a repeal ordinance.

The 3-2 vote would end rules that capped annual rent increases for some older multifamily housing and required landlords to register units with the city. The California Apartment Association applauds the decision.

The council majority chose Alternative 3. Under that approach, the city would repeal its residential rental registration and residential rent control chapters and rely instead on statewide tenant protections already in place under the Tenant Protection Act of 2019, along with legal aid, counseling and referral services.

The local rules were adopted in 2024. In January, city staff reported the rent control ordinance applied to certain multifamily properties built before February 1995 and capped annual increases at the lesser of 3% or 80% of the Consumer Price Index. For the 2025-26 rental year, the allowable increase was 1.23%.

City data also showed the scope and cost of the programs. Staff reported about 1,586 rental units had been registered by the end of the 2025 rental year, above the city's initial estimate of about 1,300 units. The city had spent about $257,000 on implementation and administration while collecting about $174,000 in related revenue.

Half Moon Bay joins other California cities, including Concord and Salinas, that have moved to scale back local rent control programs operating on top of state law.