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

What multifamily in Pacheco looks like

Pacheco is a small unincorporated community between Martinez, Concord and Pleasant Hill. Many properties have Martinez mailing addresses, but they are zoned by Contra Costa County, not a city. Rental housing here is a mix of:

• Older single-family homes and duplexes on small lots near Pacheco Boulevard
• Small apartment buildings. A 2012 LAFCO report counted three in North Pacheco alone, alongside older housing
• Mobile home parks, which the county’s space rent ordinance can cover
• New small-lot infill subdivisions along Pacheco Boulevard

Because the stock is small and older, many buyers here start with a duplex or a 2-4 unit building. See financing 2-4 unit properties and apartment building loans.

City or county? In 2012, Contra Costa LAFCO staff recommended approval of a Martinez proposal to annex about 99 acres and 252 parcels of North Pacheco. A 2019 LAFCO update says voters rejected it, and that Martinez planned to study a Mountain View/Pacheco corridor annexation. Martinez has its own tenant anti-harassment ordinance, so confirm which jurisdiction a property is in before relying on the rules below.

Where the zoning allows it

Pacheco uses the county’s Division 84 districts. Check the zoning of each parcel on the county map.

Recent infill. An August 2025 environmental filing covers an eight-lot subdivision at 4776 Pacheco Boulevard. The 1.09-acre P-1 parcel has a Multiple-Family Residential Low Density plan designation, and lots run about 4,000 to 6,000 sq ft. It shows the county approving small-lot ownership housing on former single-home parcels rather than apartments.

Inclusionary. The county’s Chapter 822-4 requires 15% inclusionary units in projects of five or more units. Projects of one to four units are exempt.

ADUs and SB 9. County ADU rules are in Chapter 82-24. SB 9 applies to qualifying single-family lots under state law. See our ADU investment guide and SB 9 lot split guide.

Rent rules: state law plus county mobilehome limits

Unincorporated Contra Costa County is not on the California Attorney General’s list of local rent caps, which names only Antioch, Concord and Richmond in the county. Pacheco apartments and houses therefore follow the Tenant Protection Act cap for the San Francisco Area. That cap is 6.3% for August 1, 2025 through July 31, 2026, and 8.8% for August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027. State just cause rules apply after 12 months. See our AB 1482 guide and just cause eviction guide.

Mobilehome space rents. The county’s Mobilehome Space Rent ordinance covers parks in unincorporated areas, including Pacheco. It was adopted by Ordinance 95-31 and amended most recently by Ordinance 2024-23 in December 2024. Its key rules:

• Annual cap. Standard increases in any 12 months may not exceed the greater of 2% or 75% of the CPI change, and never more than 6%.
• Base date. Base rent is measured from September 20, 1994.
• Exemptions. Spaces first offered for rent after January 1, 1990 are excluded, as are spaces with rent under a CPI-adjusted threshold. So are certain long-term leases under Civil Code 798.17.
• Other increases. Owners can seek capital improvement and major rent increases through a county review process. That process has its own notice and meeting steps.

If you are buying a park in Pacheco, model rent growth at that cap and get the space-by-space history.

Pacheco rental property rules

County housing code. The county enforces its housing and community preservation rules under Title 7, including the Uniform Housing Code in Division 712. We did not find a county rental registration or routine inspection program, unlike Antioch, Oakley or San Pablo.

Short-term rentals. We did not verify a county short-term rental permit rule for Pacheco. Ask the Department of Conservation and Development before you plan short stays.

Local advisory review. The Pacheco Municipal Advisory Council, formed in 1991, reviews land use matters for the Board of Supervisors. Discretionary multifamily projects are likely to go before it.

Sewer, water and environmental issues

The 2012 LAFCO report lists Mt. View Sanitary District for sewer and Contra Costa Water District for water in North Pacheco. The 2019 update adds that Martinez supplies treated water to some properties outside its limits, usually through deferred annexation agreements. Those agreements can obligate a future owner to consent to annexation, so ask whether one is recorded on title. The 2025 subdivision filing flagged sewer capacity as an issue to study. Check capacity and connection fees before you add units.

Older buildings of three or more units with elevated balconies need SB 721 inspections. A seismic retrofit review is worth doing for older wood-frame buildings near the Concord fault zone. Residents have raised refinery flare and ash concerns at MAC meetings, so include air quality in your tenant-facing due diligence. Transfer tax is the county’s $0.55 per $500 through the Clerk-Recorder, with no city tax while the parcel stays unincorporated.

Underwriting a Pacheco multifamily purchase

1. Confirm the parcel is unincorporated and check for a recorded deferred annexation agreement.
2. Check the zoning (D-1, M district, R-B, C or P-1) and whether the units on site are legal.
3. Confirm each unit’s AB 1482 status. For mobile home parks, apply the county space rent cap.
4. Confirm sewer service with Mt. View Sanitary District and the water provider.
5. Get estoppel certificates and copies of any rent increase notices.
6. Add reassessed property tax, special assessments and SB 721 work to your rental property analysis.

Questions people ask

Sources & notes

1. Contra Costa County code (GoCodebook): Division 84, D-1, M-29 lots, R-B, C uses, HE-C, 822-4, 82-24, Division 540 Mobilehome Space Rent
2. Contra Costa LAFCO: North Pacheco Annexation (2012); Martinez Annexation Update (2019)
3. Pacheco Municipal Advisory Council; CEQAnet SCH 2025081341
4. California Attorney General, Rent Caps; Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder

Note: Parcel-level zoning, county short-term rental rules and mobile home park locations in Pacheco were not verified. The CPI-adjusted low-rent exemption threshold should be confirmed with the county.

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

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