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

What multifamily in Mather looks like

Mather’s housing grew out of the former Mather Air Force Base. The base housing area was converted to individually owned single-family lots, so most rental property in the unincorporated part of Mather is a rented house rather than an apartment building. Larger multifamily development has been tied to future planning for the undeveloped land south of Mather Lake, and some of the old base now lies inside Rancho Cordova, where city rules apply. For small purchases, see financing 2-4 unit properties; for larger projects, apartment building loans.

Where the zoning allows it

The County’s Mather Field Special Planning Area, adopted May 20, 1992 and amended September 13, 2016, sets housing rules for the unincorporated area. Parcels removed from the SPA because they are now inside the City of Rancho Cordova follow city zoning instead; see our Rancho Cordova multifamily guide.

The 1,283-unit cap. Section 603-14.E caps the Single Family Housing subarea at 1,283 units. (The SPA’s water section refers to 1,271 units, a discrepancy the text does not explain.) That cap means adding duplexes or extra lots in the converted base housing is not a by-right option, though state ADU law may still allow accessory units; confirm with County Planning. See our ADU investment guide.

Future housing south of Mather Lake. The SPA sets conditions for a future specific plan for the area south of Mather Lake, including a variety of housing types, low- and very-low-income units, infrastructure and financing plans and stakeholder consensus points such as an environmental education campus. Until a master plan is approved for the Urban Development Area, that land has no ready multifamily entitlement; treat any announced project as subject to County approval.

SB 9. Single-family lots in the converted housing area may or may not qualify for SB 9, depending on the SPA’s density cap and airport safety zones; ask the County before relying on it. See our SB 9 lot split guide.

Rent rules: state law only

Unincorporated Mather has no local rent ordinance. The Attorney General’s rent cap page lists the City of Sacramento as the only Sacramento County jurisdiction with one; Mather falls under the All Other Counties figures of 7.7% for increases from August 1, 2025 and 8.6% from August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027. Single-family rentals owned by individuals may be exempt with the required lease notice. See our AB 1482 guide and just cause eviction guide.

Mather rental property rules

• Airport disclosure and easements. Under Section 603-19, residential projects need an avigation easement for aircraft overflight, disclosure that the site is in the Mather Airport Policy Area, and an acoustical study showing interior noise at or below 45 dB CNEL with windows closed. Buyers should find these documents on title and pass the disclosure through to tenants where required.
• Road noise. If Mather Boulevard (Douglas Road) is realigned around housing, homes need a 132-foot setback from the centerline or a noise barrier holding yard noise to 65 dB CNEL or less.
• County rental registration. The County’s Rental Housing Inspection Program covers all unincorporated rentals at $16 per unit per year, with self-certification for owners who complete a County-approved course.
• Short-term rentals. The County’s STR permit rules require an on-site owner or long-term renter at least six months a year and limit each guest party to 29 days a year.
• Transfer tax. The County Clerk-Recorder charges $0.55 per $500 and names no added city tax outside the City of Sacramento.

Base-era buildings, environment and utilities

Contamination and remediation. The SPA requires soil and groundwater sampling, asbestos and lead abatement, and coordination with the Air Force, U.S. EPA and California EPA on remediation, and its land transfers carry federal conditions. Review the property’s environmental disclosures and any land use covenants before buying a converted base home.

Water. The SPA bars new entitlements beyond the existing supply, about 5,000 acre-feet a year, until a Master Water Plan is adopted, and requires Zone 40 annexation and fees. Confirm that any planned ADU or added unit can get water service.

Flood and dam. The SPA calls for 100-year floodplain delineation and restricts development in the dam-failure area near Mather Dam.

Building condition. Former base homes date from the military era; budget for lead, asbestos and systems updates. Buildings of three or more units with elevated decks need SB 721 balcony inspections, and older wood-frame structures may warrant a seismic retrofit review.

Underwriting a Mather multifamily purchase

1. Confirm County or Rancho Cordova jurisdiction, and the SPA district.
2. In Site D, assume no added units beyond state ADU rights until the County confirms otherwise.
3. Pull the avigation easement, airport disclosure and environmental covenants from title.
4. Confirm County Rental Housing Inspection Program registration for every unit.
5. Classify units under AB 1482, model increases at or below 8.6% for covered units, and collect estoppel certificates.
6. Rebuild expenses with reassessed taxes, Zone 40 water charges and the $16 per unit fee in our rental property analysis.

Questions people ask

Sources & notes

1. Sacramento County, Mather Field SPA (603-010)
2. Sacramento County Zoning Code, Chapter 2
3. Sacramento County Code Enforcement, Rental Housing Inspection Program
4. County Planning, short-term rental permits
5. California Attorney General, Rent Caps (updated July 16, 2026)
6. Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder, Documentary Transfer Tax

Note: We did not review the Mather Airport land use compatibility plan, the SPA’s development standards and maps, or any approved master plan for the land south of Mather Lake.

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

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