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

Find a property that fits your search

This page does not display a live listing feed for this area and property type. Tell us your preferred location, budget and property requirements so we can discuss the available search options and current opportunities.

Request a property search

Request a local market review

Ask for recent comparable sales, current competition and the records relevant to your property. This page does not display a live market report.

Discuss the local market

What multifamily in Piedmont looks like

Piedmont is mostly single-family homes. Its multifamily stock is small:

A handful of older apartment buildings and duplexes, mostly near Grand Avenue and the Oakland border
ADUs and rented rooms in single-family homes
Mixed-use and apartment sites in Zones C and D that the city rezoned under its Housing Element

For most investors, the realistic options are a small existing building, a home with an ADU, or a Zone C or D redevelopment. For financing, see financing 2-4 unit properties and apartment building loans.

Where the zoning allows it

Piedmont has five zones under Division 17.08.

Zone	Units allowed	Key standards
Zone C Multi-Family	20–60 units per acre; single-family and multifamily permitted	10,000 sq ft minimum lot, 90 ft frontage; 45 ft (35 ft under 4,000 sq ft); 70% coverage; 15% landscaping, or 10% with 20% affordable units
Zone D Commercial/Mixed Use	20–81 units per acre, in mixed-use projects	45 ft. Ground floor must be commercial unless the building is 100% affordable
Zone A Single-Family	One home plus ADU; SB 9 two-unit projects	8,000 sq ft minimum lot; 35 ft; 40% coverage; FAR 45–55%
Zone E Estate	One home plus ADU; SB 9	20,000 sq ft minimum lot, 120 ft frontage; 35 ft; 40% coverage
Zone B Public Facilities	Public uses

Required ADUs. Zones A, D and E require an ADU on lots over 5,000 square feet when a new home is built on a vacant lot or an existing home is torn down and rebuilt. Rebuilding after a fire, earthquake or similar damage is exempt. The city’s 2023 Housing Element report also notes Ordinance 769, adopted September 18, 2023, which created incentives for rent-restricted ADUs. See our ADU investment guide.

SB 9. Piedmont’s Division 17.54 applies SB 9 only in Zones A and E. Its main standards:

Lot splits. Each new lot must be at least 1,200 square feet, and neither can be smaller than 40% of the original. Flag lots are barred.
Unit size. SB 9 units up to 800 square feet are exempt from FAR.
Setbacks. 4 feet on the side and rear, 20 feet on a street side.
Parking. One space, with none required near transit.
Owner occupancy. The owner must sign an affidavit to live in one unit for three years.
Unit count. No more than two units per resulting lot, including ADUs. A two-unit project on an unsplit lot can reach four units.

See our SB 9 lot split guide.

Grand Avenue PDA. ABAG approved Zone C and D land along Grand Avenue as a Priority Development Area on September 8, 2023.

Rent rules: state law only

Piedmont is not on the Attorney General’s list of cities with local rent caps, and we found no Piedmont rent stabilization, just cause or relocation ordinance. Covered units follow the Tenant Protection Act. For Alameda County, in the AG’s San Francisco Area region, that is 6.3% for increases from August 1, 2025, and 8.8% for increases from August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027. State just cause rules apply after 12 months of tenancy. Many Piedmont rentals are single-family homes or owner-occupied properties that may be exempt from the state cap when the right notice is given, so check each unit. See our AB 1482 guide and just cause eviction guide.

Piedmont rental property rules

Rented rooms and short-term rentals. Division 17.40 allows room rentals in any zone. Short-term rentals are tightly limited:

Only in a single-family home that is the primary residence of the owner or a long-term tenant
Never in an ADU, a multifamily unit or an SB 9 unit
An annual permit and $1 million in liability insurance
A two-night minimum stay and no more than 60 rental days a year

Room rentals and short-term rentals need a city business license.

No registry found. We did not find a Piedmont rental registry or a city rent program fee.

Building and closing-cost issues

Piedmont’s older homes and apartment buildings often date to the 1920s. Get a seismic retrofit review, especially for buildings on hillside lots. Buildings of three or more units with elevated balconies need SB 721 inspections. On the closing side, the County Clerk-Recorder collects Piedmont’s city transfer tax of $13 per $1,000 of full value, plus the county’s $0.55 per $500.

Underwriting a Piedmont multifamily purchase

Confirm the zone. Most lots are Zone A or E, where a fourplex is possible only through SB 9 on an unsplit lot.
In Zone C, check the 10,000 square foot minimum lot and the 20-unit-per-acre minimum density before planning a rebuild.
Classify each unit under AB 1482, including any single-family exemption notices.
For an ADU or SB 9 plan, confirm lot size, FAR exemptions and the three-year owner-occupancy affidavit.
Collect leases, the rent roll and statements, and get estoppel certificates.
Add the city transfer tax and reassessed property tax to your rental property analysis.

Questions people ask

Does Piedmont have rent control?

No local ordinance. The state cap applies to covered units, 8.8% for increases from August 1, 2026.

Where can apartments be built in Piedmont?

In Zone C at 20 to 60 units per acre, and in Zone D mixed-use projects at 20 to 81 units per acre.

Does Piedmont require ADUs?

Yes, on lots over 5,000 square feet in Zones A, D and E when a new home is built or an existing home is torn down and rebuilt.

Can I use SB 9 in Piedmont?

In Zones A and E, with 1,200 square foot minimum lots, 800 square foot units exempt from FAR and a three-year owner-occupancy affidavit.

Can I rent an ADU short-term?

No. Short-term rentals are limited to the primary single-family residence and capped at 60 days a year.

What transfer tax applies?

The county’s $0.55 per $500 plus Piedmont’s $13 per $1,000 of full value.

Sources & notes

Piedmont City Code Ch. 17: Divisions 17.20, 17.24, 17.26, 17.28, 17.40 and 17.54 (GoCodebook)
City of Piedmont, Housing Element Implementation presentation, Nov. 20, 2023
California Attorney General, Rent Caps
Alameda County Clerk-Recorder, Real Property Transfer Tax

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

Inquire about a listing or to schedule a meeting

Matthew Martinez

Your inquiry is processed through our iHomefinder service. Review the form’s contact choices before submitting. Privacy Policy · Terms of Use.