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East Bay Rent Stabilization by City: A Buyer's Checklist for 2026

By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.

Alameda rent control limits increases for units in multi-unit properties built before February 1995 to 2.7% for September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027, and several other East Bay cities set their own limits below the state cap of 8.8%. Oakland, Berkeley, Hayward, Richmond, Antioch and Concord cap increases on covered units, San Leandro’s new cap becomes binding on January 1, 2027, and Fremont and Union City use rent review instead of a cap. Emeryville relies on the state cap but has its own just cause and relocation rules.

For a buyer of a duplex or small apartment building, the city line decides the rent you can charge, whether you can end a tenancy and what you owe the city each year. This page compares the rules as posted on city sites in October 2026, then gives a checklist for verifying a property before you remove contingencies. It is part of our investment property services.

How the layers fit: state law first, then the city

California’s Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482, Civil Code section 1947.12) sets the floor. It limits increases over 12 months to 5% plus the change in the cost of living, or 10%, whichever is lower. The Attorney General’s chart puts that figure at 8.8% in Alameda and Contra Costa counties for increases taking effect August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027, up from 6.3% the year before.

A city ordinance can go further, with a lower cap, a registry, fees, and its own just cause and relocation rules. Where a city has a just cause ordinance adopted before September 1, 2019, Emeryville’s tenant page notes, the state just cause section gives way to it while the rest of the state law still applies. Our AB 1482 guide for landlords covers state exemptions and notices.

State law also limits local rent caps. Single-family homes and condominiums that can be sold separately are generally exempt from local caps under the Costa-Hawkins Act, though not always from just cause rules. Coverage is decided unit by unit.

East Bay rent rules side by side (October 2026)

City	Local rent limit	Current allowed increase	Just cause	Registry and fees
Oakland	Rent Adjustment Program; 60% of CPI, capped at 3%	2.3%, August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027	Separate Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance	Covered units must register to take an increase; annual program fee
Berkeley	Rent Ordinance; 65% of Bay Area CPI, capped at 5%	2.5% Annual General Adjustment for 2027, applied January 1	See our Berkeley guide	No AGA if Rent Board registration fees are unpaid
Alameda	Multi-unit properties (two or more units on a lot) built before February 1995	2.7%, September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027	Terminations only on allowable grounds; relocation payments for no-fault moves	FY 2026-27 fee: $176 per fully regulated unit, $118 per partially regulated unit
Hayward	Generally multi-unit properties built before July 1, 1979	5% once in 12 months; banked increases can bring the total to 10%	Most rental units	Notices filed with the Rent Review Office within 30 days; annual fee
San Leandro	New ordinance binding January 1, 2027; units with certificates of occupancy on or before February 1, 1995	65% of April-to-April CPI or 3%, whichever is less, published each year by May 31 for increases from July 1	Not in the new ordinance; state rules where they apply	Units must be registered with the city under Chapter 4-45 before any increase
Emeryville	None; state cap applies	8.8% state cap, August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027	City ordinance covering most units since 2017	Copy of termination notices to the City Clerk within 10 days
Fremont	Rent review, no cap	8.8% state cap where it applies; review available above 5% in 12 months	Not in the rent review chapter	Administration fee set by council resolution
Union City	Rent review, no cap	8.8% state cap where it applies; mediation above 7% in 12 months	Not addressed on the city’s page	Notice of the ordinance with each increase
Richmond	Richmond Rent Ordinance	1.62% (2025 AGA, effective September 1, 2025); no 2026 AGA posted when checked in October 2026	Ask the Rent Program about each unit	Increase notices filed within 10 business days
Antioch	Rent Stabilization Ordinance since November 11, 2022; 60% of CPI, 3% cap	Rolling figure; 2.04% posted for September 14 to November 10, 2026	Separate ordinance, No. 2240-C-S	Registry in development, not yet in effect
Concord	Multifamily complexes built before February 1995	5% a year since May 22, 2025	Single-family homes and condos covered only if the landlord rents three or more in Concord	All rental properties must join the Rent Registry, as Pioneer Publishers reported

Figures are as each city posted them when we checked in October 2026. Annual adjustments change on different dates in each city, so confirm the current number on the city’s site before you underwrite a property. Figures change mid-year; last reviewed October 2026.

Alameda County cities with rent limits

Oakland

Oakland’s annual CPI increase is 2.3% from August 1, 2026, set at 60% of the change in CPI or 3%, whichever is lower. Owners of covered units can’t raise rent on a unit that isn’t registered with the Rent Adjustment Program, and unused increases can be deferred for up to five years before they expire. Oakland’s rent limits and just cause coverage follow separate tests, explained in our Oakland rent rules guide.

Berkeley

The Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board sets the Annual General Adjustment at 65% of Bay Area CPI, capped at 5%, and the AGA for 2027 is 2.5%. The board passes the AGA each October and it applies on January 1. A landlord can’t take it with unpaid registration fees, a board order denying AGAs, serious code violations or unpaid deposit interest. See our Berkeley rent stabilization guide for owners.

City of Alameda

The Alameda Rent Program’s 2.7% adjustment applies to units at multi-unit properties built before February 1995, with multi-unit meaning two or more units on a legal lot. The FY 2026-27 program fee is $176 for each fully regulated unit and $118 for each partially regulated unit, with a 10% penalty after the due date that grows monthly to as much as 60%. Landlords may pass half the fee to tenants over 12 months.

The ordinance limits terminations to allowable grounds and requires relocation payments when a move isn’t the tenant’s fault; the amounts were adjusted on July 1, 2026. For tenancies starting on or after August 6, 2026, the city also bars fees for utilities that aren’t separately metered. Our Alameda island property guide covers the city more broadly.

Hayward

Hayward’s Residential Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protection Ordinance allows one increase in 12 months of 5% or less on covered units, which are generally multi-unit properties built before July 1, 1979. Increases not taken since 2018 can be banked, up to a 10% total in one year and for no more than 10 years. Copies of rent increase and termination notices for all units go to the Rent Review Office within 30 calendar days. See our Hayward property guide.

San Leandro

San Leandro adopted Ordinance No. 2026-001 on February 2, 2026, adding a residential rent stabilization chapter whose requirements become binding on January 1, 2027. The cap is 65% of the CPI change for the 12 months ending in April, or 3%, whichever is less, published by May 31 for increases on or after July 1. Banking is prohibited, and the base rent is the rent in effect on July 1, 2025.

Units with a certificate of occupancy issued after February 1, 1995 are exempt, as are duplexes where the landlord lives in one unit. A unit must be registered with the city under Chapter 4-45 of the municipal code before rent can rise. After a voluntary move-out, abandonment or lawful eviction, the owner may set the next tenant’s starting rent. Our San Leandro guide covers the city’s housing stock.

Emeryville

Emeryville has no rent cap of its own, so the state’s 8.8% applies to covered units. Its Residential Landlord and Tenant Relations Ordinance, enacted in 2017, requires a valid business license, notice of tenant rights and an allowed for-cause or no-fault reason to end a tenancy. For no-fault terminations, landlords with more than four covered units pay the greater of five times HUD’s Fair Market Rent or four times the monthly rent; smaller landlords pay the greater of one month of Fair Market Rent or one month’s rent.

Rent review cities: Fremont and Union City

Fremont’s rent review chapter, Municipal Code 9.60, applies to residential rental units citywide, with exceptions such as hotels, dormitories and junior ADUs. A landlord or tenant can seek review of an increase above 5% in 12 months, and the review board’s determinations are advisory. Only one increase is allowed in any 12-month period, and an increase isn’t valid unless the landlord gives written notice that rent review is available. See our Fremont community guide.

Union City’s Rent Review Ordinance, in effect since October 2, 2017, offers non-binding mediation when one increase, or several within 12 months, total more than 7%. Landlords must take part and must give a notice of the ordinance with any increase. Neither city caps rents below the state limit on the pages we opened. Our Union City guide covers the local market.

Contra Costa cities: Richmond, Antioch and Concord

Richmond’s Rent Board adopted its 2025 Annual General Adjustment of 1.62% on June 18, 2025, for increases from September 1, 2025, and no 2026 figure was posted when we checked in October 2026. Landlords file each rent increase notice with proof of service within 10 business days. Ask the Rent Program at (510) 234-7368 how a given unit is covered; our Richmond property guide has local context.

Antioch’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance took effect November 11, 2022. The allowed increase is 60% of the 12-month CPI change, capped at 3%, and the city posts a new figure for each period as CPI data is released; the page showed 2.04% for September 14 to November 10, 2026. A rental registry is planned but not yet required, and tenant protections sit in a separate just cause ordinance. See our Antioch guide.

Concord amended its residential tenant protection program on April 22, 2025, effective May 22, 2025, according to Pioneer Publishers. The cap for multifamily complexes built before February 1995 rose to 5%, replacing the lower of 3% or 60% of CPI. Just cause rules reach single-family homes and condos only for landlords renting three or more in the city, and every rental property must still join the Rent Registry. The city pages we could open in October 2026 had not been updated for these amendments, and its registry page still describes the 2021 program for complexes of four or more units, so read the current ordinance before buying; our Concord guide covers the city.

For county-wide context, including transfer taxes and hazards, see our Alameda County and Contra Costa County guides.

Buyer’s checklist for an occupied East Bay property

Identify the city and the unit type. Confirm the parcel’s city, the year each unit was built or received its certificate of occupancy, and whether any unit is separately saleable.
Get the rent roll and every lease. Compare current rents with the city’s allowed increases and base-rent rules.
Pull registry and fee records. In Oakland, Alameda and San Leandro, an unregistered unit or unpaid fee can block increases.
Collect notices. Ask for rent increase and termination notices and the filings the city requires, such as Hayward’s 30-day and Richmond’s 10-business-day filings.
Get tenant estoppels. Tenants confirm rent, deposits and agreements in writing; our investor guides cover estoppel certificates in more detail.
Underwrite at the local cap. Model income at the current allowed increase, not at the state maximum.
Check pending changes. San Leandro’s cap starts in 2027, and several cities adjust figures mid-year.
Have counsel review coverage. Exemptions turn on facts a listing won’t show.

Diamond manages some rental properties and works with partner managers for others; Diamond may refer you to partners we work with, and you’re free to choose any provider.

Rent ordinances in these cities change often and depend on unit-specific facts, so treat this comparison as general information, not legal advice. Before you remove contingencies or serve any notice, have a California landlord-tenant attorney confirm how each unit is covered.

Questions people ask

Does the City of Alameda have rent control?

Yes. The Alameda Rent Program limits increases on units at multi-unit properties built before February 1995; the adjustment is 2.7% for September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027. The adjustment applies to multi-unit properties, so a single-family home on its own lot falls outside it, though other rules may still apply.

Which East Bay cities have rent control in 2026?

Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Hayward, Richmond, Antioch and Concord have local caps. San Leandro’s cap takes effect January 1, 2027, and Fremont and Union City have rent review programs without caps.

How much can rent go up in Richmond?

The latest Annual General Adjustment posted in October 2026 was 1.62%, for increases from September 1, 2025. Check with the Richmond Rent Program for any newer figure before you raise rent or underwrite a purchase.

Does Hayward have rent control?

Yes. Covered units, generally in multi-unit buildings built before July 1, 1979, can rise 5% once in 12 months, or up to 10% with banked increases. Most rental units have just cause protection.

Does Concord have rent control?

Yes. Since May 22, 2025, multifamily complexes built before February 1995 are limited to 5% a year, as reported by Pioneer Publishers. All rental properties must take part in the city’s Rent Registry.

Is there rent control in San Leandro?

San Leandro adopted a rent stabilization ordinance on February 2, 2026, binding from January 1, 2027. It caps increases at 65% of CPI or 3%, whichever is less, for units with certificates of occupancy on or before February 1, 1995.

What is the rent cap in cities without local rent control?

For increases taking effect August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027, the state limit in Alameda and Contra Costa counties is 8.8% for units covered by AB 1482. Some single-family homes and condos are exempt under conditions our AB 1482 guide explains.

If you are comparing small multifamily buildings across East Bay cities, contact Diamond to review a rent roll against the local rules before you write an offer.

Sources & notes

Concord’s 2025 amendments come from news coverage because the city’s updated pages could not be opened. Hayward’s and Berkeley’s fee amounts were not on the pages we opened.

Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.