On Friday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta released two important alerts for tenants about the legal limits on rent increases. The first alert, titled “Know Your Rights as a California Tenant,” explains how much landlords can raise rent each year, according to the Tenant Protection Act (TPA). Under this law, most landlords cannot increase rent by more than 10%, or 5% plus the change in the cost of living — whichever is less — within a 12-month period. The second alert covers local rent control laws across California. If your city or county has stricter rent laws than the TPA, those local laws apply instead.
“With rent prices being such a big concern for Californians, we are reminding landlords and tenants about the rent-increase limits set by the Tenant Protection Act and local laws,” Bonta said. “Remember, the TPA sets a minimum limit. If your area has stronger protections, those take priority.”
Rent Increase Limits Under the TPA
The new limit on rent increases under the TPA started on August 1, 2024, and will stay in effect until July 31, 2025. After that, a new limit will apply. These limits affect most rental properties in California that are over 15 years old, including single-family homes and condos owned by corporations, mobile homes, and housing rented by people using Section 8 vouchers.
The change in the cost of living is measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). In some areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the data, and in others, the California Department of Industrial Relations does. If April data isn’t available, data from March is used.
The alert on rent-increase limits is available in many languages, including English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and more.
Local Rent Control Laws
Local rent laws vary from place to place. They often have different ways of calculating rent caps based on the CPI. The Attorney General’s Office has created a chart to show these local rent laws and explain how rent increases are calculated, as well as which properties are exempt.
The alert on local rent control is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
Legal Help for Tenants
If you’re facing eviction or believe your landlord has violated your rights, seek legal help right away. If you can’t afford a lawyer, you may qualify for free or low-cost legal aid. Visit lawhelpca.org and click on “Find Legal Help” to locate services near you. If you don’t qualify for legal aid, the California State Bar and California Courts have resources to help you find a lawyer.
You can find the full consumer alerts on the California DOJ’s Landlord-Tenant Issues webpage.
