Multifamily and Duplex Properties for Sale in Greenbrae: Zoning and Rent Rules

What multifamily in Greenbrae looks like

Greenbrae is mostly single-family homes on the hills, but it also has apartment and condominium complexes near Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and the creek, plus some townhouse communities on the lower slopes. Many of these buildings date from the 1960s and 1970s. The deciding issue for any Greenbrae rental is jurisdiction. Unincorporated parcels follow Marin County’s tenant ordinances, while parcels inside the City of Larkspur follow Larkspur’s rent stabilization law, and both are mailed as "Greenbrae." For financing, see financing 2-4 unit properties and apartment building loans.

Where the zoning allows it

For county parcels, residential zoning comes from Chapter 22.10. The single-family districts (RA, RR, RE, R1, RSP) do not list two-family or multifamily dwellings, and Section 22.10.030 treats unlisted uses as not allowed. A 2025 county decision at 15 Tamal Vista Lane shows the typical hillside pattern: R1-B2 zoning under an SF5 low-density plan designation.

Housing overlay. The county’s central Marin housing sites list places its HOD sites in Kentfield, with none listed under Greenbrae. Inside Larkspur, the city’s Housing Priority Overlay includes 100 Drakes Landing Road at 15 to 25 units per acre on up to two acres.

ADUs and SB 9. County ADUs and JADUs are permitted in all residential districts under Sections 22.32.120 and 22.32.125. See our ADU investment guide. SB 9 applies to single-family zones in urbanized areas, and the county chapter we read did not include SB 9 text, so confirm eligibility for steep or fire-prone lots with county planning. See our SB 9 lot split guide.

Rent rules: county ordinances or Larkspur rent stabilization

Unincorporated Greenbrae. No rent cap applies beyond state law. The Attorney General’s rent cap page lists the AB 1482 cap for the San Francisco area, which includes Marin, at 8.8% for increases from August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027. See our AB 1482 guide. The county adds three layers:

• Just cause. County Code Chapter 5.100, adopted December 18, 2018 as Ordinance 3705, applies to properties with three or more units on one lot. Vacant, owner-occupied and STR units count toward the three, while permitted ADUs and JADUs do not. Before a valid termination, the landlord must hold a rental business license, give the Notice of Tenant Rights, register the unit in the county rental registry and send a copy of the notice to the CDA director within 10 days. Removing a unit from the market needs 120 days’ notice.
• Mandatory mediation. Under Chapter 5.95, increases above 5% in 12 months are subject to mediation if the tenant asks within 10 calendar days. The Notice of Tenant Rights must accompany new leases, renewals and increase notices.
• Source of income. The county’s Renting in Marin page states that landlords may not discriminate against voucher holders.

See our just cause eviction guide.

Greenbrae parcels inside Larkspur. Larkspur’s Chapter 6.20 caps increases at 5% plus CPI or 7%, whichever is lower, once per 12 months, with exemptions for post-1995 buildings, ADUs and some owner-occupied units. County mediation does not apply in Larkspur.

Greenbrae rental property rules

• Rental registry and business license. All unincorporated rentals need a county business license, $15 per dwelling unit per year under the county business license rules, and covered units must be in the rental registry.
• Multi-unit health permit. Properties with three or more non-owner-occupied units generally need a county Environmental Health permit and are subject to the multi-unit inspection program.
• Short-term rentals. A county STR license is needed for stays under 30 days. Greenbrae has no township cap and draws from the 1,200-license countywide pool.

Older complexes, hillsides and sewer agencies

Many Greenbrae apartments and condominiums were built before 1980, with tuck-under parking and wood-frame construction on slopes. Order a structural review and see our seismic retrofit guide. Buildings with three or more units and elevated decks or exterior stairs need SB 721 inspections.

Sewer service is split. Sanitary District No. 2 serves portions of the Greenbrae Boardwalk, and other parcels are in the Ross Valley Sanitary District, which requires a lateral Certificate of Compliance at sale. Fire service comes from the Kentfield Fire Protection District. Ask the district about vegetation management and defensible space for hillside complexes.

Underwriting a Greenbrae multifamily purchase

1. Confirm county or Larkspur jurisdiction from the tax rate area.
2. Check the zoning district and density suffix, and whether the units are legal under R2, RMP or RMPC rules.
3. For county parcels with three or more units, confirm registry entries, the business license and tenant rights notices for each unit.
4. For Larkspur parcels, recompute increases against the Chapter 6.20 cap; for county parcels, flag any increase over 5% for mediation risk.
5. Get the sewer agency’s lateral status, the county health permit and SB 721 reports, plus estoppel certificates.
6. Model taxes, insurance and repairs in our rental property analysis.

Questions people ask

Sources & notes

1. Marin County Code (GoCodebook): Ch. 22.10, Ch. 22.12
2. Marin County, Blaufarb variance P5199
3. Marin County renter pages: Renting in Marin, Just Cause, Mandatory Mediation
4. Marin County, Central Marin housing element sites
5. Larkspur § 6.20.040 and Ch. 18.101
6. Marin County: business license, multi-unit inspection, STR license
7. Marin LAFCo: Sanitary District No. 2, Kentfield Fire
8. California Attorney General, Rent Caps

Note: We did not confirm which multifamily districts are mapped in Greenbrae or read the county’s SB 9 provisions.

General information, not legal or tax advice. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.

Related: Greenbrae real estate guide · Commercial real estate in Greenbrae · Multifamily investing guide · Investor services