How Does Rent Control
Work for Tenants in East Palo Alto?
Navigating the rental market in East Palo Alto can feel overwhelming, but the City’s permanent Rent Stabilization and Just Cause for Eviction Ordinances—adopted in 1988 for mobile home parks and expanded in 2010 to cover most residential tenancies (and further amended in 2016)—provide crucial safeguards for renters. Here’s what you need to know about rent caps, eviction protections, registration requirements, and how state law may also apply.
Under the East Palo Alto Rent Stabilization Program and its Applicability rules, most residential units are regulated—except:
- ● Fully exempt (no rent control and no just cause eviction protection): transient occupancy (motels, hotels, boarding houses occupied less than 30 days); care facilities (hospitals, nursing homes); resident-owned nonprofit co-ops; rooms in a landlord’s principal residence; and units other exempt under state or federal law.
- ● Partially exempt (no rent control but just cause eviction applies): single-family homes/condos; units built on or after January 1, 1988; owner-occupied two- and three-unit properties; nonprofit affordable-housing projects with rent covenants.
Each program year (July 1–June 30), the Rent Stabilization Board sets an Annual General Adjustment (AGA). Landlords in compliance may increase a tenant’s rent—up to the AGA—once every 12 months, after giving 30 days notice.
- ● Maximum: increases may never exceed 10% in any 12-month period.
- ● No increases within the first 12 months of tenant occupancy.
Visit the Guide to Rent Control for the latest allowable rent increase information.
Before raising rent, landlords must:
- Register each covered unit with the Rent Stabilization Board by submitting a Registration Statement.
- Obtain a Certificate of Maximum Allowable Rent (MAR), which sets the rent ceiling for that tenancy. Certificates are issued upon initial registration and at each tenant turnover.
- Banking unused AGAs: landlords may “bank” up to three years’ worth of unused increases, provided they notify tenants in writing by February 1 of the program year.
If you’re charged above your MAR, you can file a petition or a rent reduction and rebate of overpaid rent—and you can object to a MAR Certificate within 30 days (extendable to 60 days for good) of issuance of the MAR.
Under the Guide to Just Cause for Eviction, landlords may only terminate non-exempt tenancies for specified grounds:
- ● At-fault causes: including, but not limited to, non-payment of rent; material lease breaches; nuisance or illegal activity; willful damage; refusal to sign a renewal; refusal of lawful access; failure to vacate under a temporary lease.
- ● No-fault causes: including, but not limited to, substantial repairs (with Board approval); demolition or conversion; withdrawal under the Ellis Act; owner or family move-in; government-ordered vacancy.
Landlords must file any termination notice or unlawful detainer summons with the Rent Stabilization Program within five calendar days of service, and the notice must state the specific “just cause.”
If your landlord violates East Palo Alto’s rent control or eviction protection laws—or engages in certain types of harassment or unlawful behavior—you may be entitled to the following legal remedies:
- ● Treble Damages: Under California Civil Code § 1940.2 (for covered tenants), tenants can recover up to three times actual damages if the landlord’s conduct is willful, such as harassment, illegal eviction attempts, or utility shutoffs. Local city ordinances may permit greater or lesser damages, for covered tenants.
- ● Compensatory Damages: This includes financial losses (e.g., rent overcharges, relocation expenses) and emotional distress, especially in cases involving harassment, unsafe living conditions, or sudden displacement.
- ● Attorney’s Fees: Tenants who prevail in court may be awarded their legal fees, making it easier to pursue justice.
- ● Injunctive Relief: Courts can order landlords to stop unlawful actions and comply with local housing protections.
These remedies are designed to protect renters and hold landlords accountable for violating tenant rights.
If your unit does not qualify under East Palo Alto’s Rent Stabilization and Just Cause for Eviction Ordinances, you may be covered by the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019, which caps rent increases at 5% plus CPI or 10%, whichever is less, and provides just cause eviction protections for certain properties.
Learn more about your rights by visiting our California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 guide.
Need Help Navigating Your Rights?
If you’re facing a rent increase, illegal eviction, landlord harassment, or other landlord-tenant issues, Tenant Law Group is ready to support you. As California’s leading tenant rights law firm, we specialize in defending renters and ensuring their rights are upheld. Protect your housing rights with expert guidance. Contact us today for a free case evaluation to learn more about your tenant rights in East Palo Alto.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant laws in California and is not intended as legal advice. We encourage you to consult with a qualified tenant attorney or local tenant advocacy organization for guidance specific to your situation.
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