East Palo Alto Rent Control
The City of East Palo Alto (EPA) has a strong local rent control law—the East Palo Alto Rent Stabilization and Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance—designed to protect tenants from unreasonable rent increases and unfair evictions. This guide simplifies the rules, explains your core rights, and tells you what to do if your landlord violates the law.
Is My Rental Unit Covered by the EPA Ordinance?
The first and most important step is determining if your rental unit is protected. The EPA Ordinance has two main sets of protections: Rent Control (limits on rent increases) and Just Cause Eviction (limits on when you can be asked to move).
Units Protected by Rent Control (Limits on Rent Increases)
Generally, your unit is protected by rent control if it is a property with at least two units that was built before January 1, 1988.
Unit Type
Rent Control Status
Key Note
Multi-Unit Buildings
COVERED (If built before Jan. 1, 1988)
The Ordinance establishes a comprehensive rent control framework.
Units Built After 1988
EXEMPT
Exempt from rent caps due to the date of construction.
Single-Family Homes & Condos
EXEMPT
Exempt from rent caps due to State Law (Costa-Hawkins Act).
Owner-Occupied Duplex/Triplex
EXEMPT
Exempt if the landlord occupies one unit and rents no more than two additional units on the property (and has lived there for at least one year).
Shared Living Spaces
EXEMPT
Owner-occupied units where the tenant shares a bathroom or kitchen with the landlord.
IMPORTANT: If your unit is exempt from East Palo Alto's rent caps (e.g., a single-family home or newer building), you may still be protected by the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (Statewide AB 1482), which caps annual rent increases at 5% plus the Consumer Price Index (CPI), up to a maximum of 10%.
Units Protected by Just Cause Eviction
Just Cause Eviction Protections are much broader in East Palo Alto. Most residential rental units are protected, meaning your landlord must have one of 14 specific, legally-recognized reasons to end your tenancy.
Unit Type
Eviction Protection Status
Nearly All Residential Units
COVERED
Shared Living Spaces
EXEMPT (If tenant shares a bathroom or kitchen with the landlord)
Hospital/Care Facilities
EXEMPT
Nonprofit Cooperatives
EXEMPT
RENT INCREASES & THE ANNUAL GENERAL ADJUSTMENT (AGA)
If your unit is covered by the EPA Rent Stabilization Ordinance, your landlord is severely limited in how much they can raise your rent.
The Annual General Adjustment (AGA)
Your rent can generally only be increased once every 12 months by the amount of the Annual General Adjustment (AGA), which is determined yearly by the Rent Stabilization Board.
The AGA is calculated based on a percentage of the annual change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Maximum Cap: Regardless of the CPI, your rent increase cannot exceed 10% in any 12-month period.
Notice: Your landlord must provide you with a proper 30-day written notice for any rent increase.
Landlord Requirements for an Increase
A landlord is not eligible to raise your rent, even by the approved AGA, unless they meet all of these requirements:
The landlord must have a Certificate of Maximum Allowable Rent (MAR) issued for your specific tenancy.
The landlord must register all units in the property with the Rent Stabilization Program and be in substantial compliance with the Ordinance.
The unit must meet the implied warranty of habitability (be safe and livable) and all city-ordered repairs must be complete.
No rent increase is permitted within the first 12 months of initial occupancy.
JUST CAUSE EVICTION PROTECTIONS
If your unit is covered (most are), your landlord must have a Just Cause reason—a specific, permissible ground—to evict you. Eviction reasons fall into two categories: At-Fault (based on your actions) and No-Fault (based on the landlord's actions).
At-Fault Evictions (Tenant's Actions): These are reasons where the tenant has violated the lease or the law. You must generally be given a chance to fix (cure) the problem before the eviction can proceed:
Nonpayment of Rent (Failure to pay the rent);
Breach of Lease (Continued, material violation of a lease term after receiving a notice to correct);
Nuisance/Damage (Creating a nuisance, causing substantial damage beyond normal wear and tear, or refusing to pay for damage repair after notice);
Illegal Use (Using the property for an unlawful purpose);
Refusal to Renew (Refusing to sign a new lease that is substantially identical to your prior agreement);
Refusal of Access (Refusing to allow the landlord reasonable, lawful access to the unit.
No-Fault Evictions (Landlord's Actions): These are reasons where you haven't done anything wrong, but the landlord still has a legal basis to end the tenancy. These reasons often trigger the landlord’s obligation to pay Relocation Benefits.
Owner or Relative Move-In: The owner or a qualified relative (parent, child, sibling, or spouse/domestic partner) must move in within two months and live there for at least one year as their primary residence.
Substantial Repairs: The landlord must have all necessary permits, repair costs must be at least ten times the monthly rent, and the work must render the unit uninhabitable for more than 30 days. The tenant has a right to return to the unit at the same rent upon completion.
Demolition: The landlord intends to tear down the building.
Ellis Act Eviction: The landlord is withdrawing the entire building from the rental market.
Eviction Notice Periods
If you have lived in the unit for less than one year, you are entitled to a 30-day written notice.
If you have lived in the unit for one year or more, you are entitled to a 60-day written notice.
For an Ellis Act (withdrawal from the market) eviction, the notice period is generally 120 days. Tenants who are age 62 or older or disabled are entitled to a one-year notice.
Relocation Assistance and Tenant Harassment
Relocation Benefits for No-Fault Evictions: East Palo Alto's ordinance only provides mandatory permanent relocation assistance for Ellis Act (withdrawal from the market) and Demolition evictions. Low-income households, or those with a minor dependent, disabled, elderly (62+), or terminally ill tenant, are entitled to an additional amount.
Temporary Relocation for Repairs: If you are temporarily displaced due to necessary repairs to comply with safety laws (or a government order), the landlord must offer you alternate housing within fifteen miles (such as a unit they own or a hotel) and pay for your storage and pet boarding, if needed. You must continue to pay your rent to the landlord during this displacement.
Peregrine Legal Group, PC represents tenants across East Palo Alto. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
East Palo Alto website – rent control: https://www.ci.east-palo-alto.ca.us/rent-stabilization/page/guide-rent-control
Disclaimer: This information is for general knowledge only and is not legal advice. For specific legal issues, you should consult with a qualified attorney or contact the Pasadena Rent Stabilization Department.