Alameda · Renting & eviction

Rent increases in Alameda

Alameda's Annual General Adjustment, announced each year and effective September 1, limits increases on units not exempt under state law. On units not exempt under state law, Alameda allows 1 increase or Pass Through per 12-month period, none in the tenancy's first 12 months.

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Key points

Rent increases: Alameda's Annual General Adjustment, announced each year and effective September 1, limits increases on units not exempt under state law.
Increase timing: On units not exempt under state law, Alameda allows 1 increase or Pass Through per 12-month period, none in the tenancy's first 12 months.

Each rule below links to the section of the Alameda Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Alameda's code says

Alameda code What Alameda's code adds
Annual increase limit	The Program Administrator announces the Annual General Adjustment percentage. Applies: For eligible Rental Units, effective September 1 of that year. § 6-58.60 · code text No later than May 31 of each year, the Program Administrator shall announce the percentage increase by which Rent for eligible Rental Units will be adjusted effective September 1 of that year.
Floor or ceiling on the increase	No more than 8% of the tenant's current rent for the Rent Increase and Pass Through combined. Applies: Only when the landlord has been granted a Pass Through. § 6-58.50 · code text no Landlord who has been granted a Pass Through shall impose a Rent Increase that, in combination with the Pass Through, is more than eight (8%) percent of a Tenant's current rent. No more than 8% in total may be banked from unused Annual General Adjustments. Applies: For banking unused Annual General Adjustments for a later increase; the increase is limited to the current year's Annual General Adjustment plus 3% of the banked amount. § 6-58.70 · code text It shall be unlawful for any Landlord to (a) bank more than eight (8%) percent No more than the current year Annual General Adjustment plus 3% of any banked amount. Applies: For a rent increase using a banked amount. § 6-58.70 · code text increase Rent by more than the current year Annual General Adjust plus three (3%) percent of any banked amount
Units covered	Rental units not exempt under State Law. Applies: For the general rent limitation beginning September 1, 2019. § 6-58.60 · code text Beginning September 1, 2019, except as provided in subsection B of this Section 6-58.60, no Landlord shall charge Rent for any Rental Unit not exempt under State Law in an amount greater than the Base Rent plus increases expressly allowed under this Article. A Floating Home, or a vessel/boat with a marine residential tenancy at a Floating Home Marina. § 6-58.60 · code text No Landlord shall charge Rent for any Rental Unit that is a Floating Home or a vessel/boat with a marine residential tenancy at a Floating Home Marina in an amount greater than the Base Rent for such Floating Home or vessel/boat, plus increases expressly allowed under this Article.
How often rent can go up	Increase rent or impose a Pass Through no more than once per 12-month period and not during tenancy's first 12 months. Applies: For Rental Units not exempt from rent control under State Law; this includes Pass Throughs. § 6-58.50 · code text no Landlord shall increase the Rent of any Rental Unit or impose a Pass Through, whether such increase or imposition is separate or together: (a) more than once in any twelve (12) month period Banked Annual General Adjustments may be used no more than 3 times during any tenancy. Applies: When using banked Annual General Adjustments. § 6-58.50 · code text nor increase Rent using any banked Annual General Adjustments more than three (3) times during any tenancy. Landlords may not use banked Annual General Adjustments to increase rent in consecutive years. Applies: When using banked Annual General Adjustments. § 6-58.50 · code text no Landlord shall increase Rent by utilizing any banked Annual General Adjustments in consecutive years
Petitions and pass-throughs	Capital Improvement Plan applications are not accepted or approved for properties with 25 or more Rental Units. § 6-58.50 · code text The Program Administrator shall neither accept nor approve a Capital Improvement Plan application where the number of Rental Units at the subject property equals or exceeds twenty-five (25). A lawful pass-through is allowed, but combined with any rent increase, it may not exceed 8% of the tenant’s current rent. § 6-58.50 · code text Imposition of any lawful Pass Through shall not constitute a Rent Increase, provided, however, no Landlord who has been granted a Pass Through shall impose a Rent Increase that, in combination with the Pass Through, is more than eight (8%) percent of a Tenant's current rent. Landlords may use previously banked Annual General Adjustments in a subsequent annual Rent Increase. Applies: If they did not raise rent to the Maximum Allowable Rent in a particular year during a tenancy. § 6-58.70 · code text If a Landlord has not increased Rent to the Maximum Allowable Rent in any particular year during a tenancy, the Landlord may, as part of a subsequent annual Rent Increase, increase Rent by the previously banked Annual General Adjustment. Banked Annual General Adjustments expire when a new tenancy begins or the Landlord transfers the property where the Rental Unit is located. § 6-58.70 · code text Any banked Annual General Adjustments expire when a new tenancy is created or when the Landlord transfers the property in which or on which the Rental Unit is located.

The California rule underneath

Where Alameda's rule above does not cover a situation, state law still applies. For the statewide rule on its own, see California's statewide rent cap.

CA state law The statewide rule underneath
Rent cap right now	8.8% for increases taking effect August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027 (5% plus 3.8% inflation) Applies: Covered units only. Inflation is the BLS consumer price index for the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area, April to April, as the statute requires; the figure is recomputed every year. Civ. Code § 1947.12(a)(1), (g)
Statewide rent increase cap (AB 1482)	5% plus the change in cost of living, or 10%, whichever is lower, over any 12 months Applies: Covered units only; measured against the lowest rent charged in the prior 12 months. Civ. Code § 1947.12(a)(1)
Number of rent increases	No more than two increases in any 12-month period Civ. Code § 1947.12(a)(2)
Rent cap — new construction exemption	Housing with a certificate of occupancy issued within the previous 15 years is exempt (rolling) Applies: Mobilehomes excepted. Civ. Code § 1947.12(d)(4)
Rent cap — single-family home or condo exemption	A home or condo that can be sold on its own is exempt when the owner is not a REIT, a corporation or an LLC with a corporate member, and the tenant was given the written exemption notice Applies: The same exemption applies to the just-cause rule (§ 1946.2(e)(8)). Civ. Code § 1947.12(d)(5)
Rent cap — owner-occupied duplex exemption	A duplex in one building is exempt when the owner lived in the other unit at the start of the tenancy and still does, unless either unit is an ADU or JADU Civ. Code § 1947.12(d)(6)
New tenancy resets the rent	When no prior tenant remains, the owner may set the initial rent; the cap applies to later increases Civ. Code § 1947.12(b)
Rent cap sunset	§ 1947.12 is repealed on January 1, 2030 unless extended Civ. Code § 1947.12(o)

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Alameda Municipal Code — full text