Anaheim, Orange County's largest city and home to Disneyland Resort, has no local rent control ordinance — California's AB 1482 is the only rent increase protection available to most renters here.·Updated May 2026
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Key Takeaways
Most multi-unit rentals with certificate of occupancy issued before 2011 (rolling 15-year rule); single-family homes and condos are exempt under Costa-Hawkins
5% + LA Metro CPI, capped at 10% per year; current 2025 cap is approximately 8.8% for the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim metro area
After 12 months of tenancy, landlords must have at-fault or no-fault just cause to evict under AB 1482
Anaheim sits in the heart of Orange County, roughly 25 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. With a population of about 350,000, it is the most populous city in Orange County and one of the most renter-dense. The city's housing market is shaped by its dual identity: a global tourism hub anchored by the Disneyland Resort and Angel Stadium, and a working-class residential community where Latino families make up the majority of residents. Rents here have climbed steadily over the past decade, and roughly half of Anaheim households rent rather than own their homes.
Anaheim has never passed a local rent control ordinance. The only rent increase protection available to eligible renters comes from California's statewide Tenant Protection Act of 2019, commonly known as AB 1482. Under AB 1482, landlords of covered units may not raise rent more than 5% plus the local Consumer Price Index — a maximum of 10% per year — and must have just cause before evicting a tenant who has lived in the unit for 12 months or more.
This guide explains exactly which Anaheim rentals are covered by AB 1482, how the rent cap is calculated using the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim CPI, what qualifies as just cause for eviction, and where to find free legal help in Orange County if your landlord is not following the law.
2. Who Is Covered by Rent Control in Anaheim?
AB 1482 covers residential rental units in Anaheim that received their certificate of occupancy at least 15 years before the date of the rent increase. Because the rule rolls forward each year, units built before approximately 2011 are generally covered as of 2026. The tenant must also have lived in the unit for at least 12 months before the rent cap and just-cause protections apply.
Many Anaheim renters are not protected by AB 1482 because of exemptions written into the law and the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (Civil Code §§ 1954.50–1954.535). The following unit types are exempt:
Single-family homes and condominiums — Costa-Hawkins prohibits local and statewide rent caps on these property types, unless the owner has received a government subsidy tied to affordability.
Units built within the last 15 years — Any building that received its certificate of occupancy after approximately 2011 (as of 2026) is fully exempt from the rent cap.
Owner-occupied duplexes — If the property owner lives in the other unit of a two-unit building, both units are exempt.
Single-family homes owned by corporate landlords or REITs — AB 1482 does cover single-family homes owned by corporations, real estate investment trusts, or LLCs where one member is a corporation, even though individually owned SFHs are exempt.
Hotels, motels, and transient housing — Short-term or transient occupancy is not covered.
Government-subsidized affordable housing — Units in programs such as Section 8 project-based assistance or tax-credit developments that already impose stricter rent restrictions operate under their own regulatory agreements rather than AB 1482.
If you are unsure whether your unit qualifies, use the address lookup tool at RentCheckMe or contact the Legal Aid Society of Orange County for a free assessment.
3. Maximum Allowable Rent Increases
For Anaheim rentals covered by AB 1482, the maximum allowable rent increase in any 12-month period is 5% plus the percentage change in the local Consumer Price Index, with an absolute ceiling of 10%. Anaheim falls within the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim metropolitan statistical area, so landlords must use the CPI figure published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for that region.
For increases effective in 2025, the LA Metro CPI came in at approximately 3.8%, putting the maximum allowable increase at roughly 8.8% (5% + 3.8%). This figure shifts annually as new CPI data is published, so the exact cap for a given notice depends on the date the increase takes effect.
Additional rules that apply to Anaheim landlords under AB 1482:
12-month waiting period: A landlord cannot raise rent under AB 1482 until the tenant has lived in the unit for at least 12 months. After the first increase, no more than two increases are permitted in any 12-month period, and their combined total cannot exceed the cap.
No banking of unused increases: If a landlord skips a year or raises rent below the cap, the unused percentage cannot be rolled over and added to a future year's increase.
Written notice required: Increases of 10% or less require 30 days' written notice; increases above 10% (which are prohibited under AB 1482 for covered units) would require 90 days under general California law.
No rent rollback required: AB 1482 does not roll back rents that were above market before the law took effect; it only limits future increases.
4. Just Cause Eviction Protections
Once a tenant has lived in an Anaheim rental unit covered by AB 1482 for 12 months (or if any occupant has lived there for 24 months), the landlord must have a legally recognized just cause to terminate the tenancy. Just-cause reasons fall into two categories:
At-Fault Just Cause
At-fault evictions are based on the tenant's actions. No relocation assistance is required. Recognized at-fault reasons include:
Failure to pay rent
Material breach of a lease term after written notice to cure
Maintaining a nuisance or causing substantial damage to the unit
Refusal to allow lawful entry after proper notice
Using the unit for criminal activity that affects other residents or the property
Subletting without the landlord's written consent when the lease prohibits it
Refusal to sign a written renewal lease on substantially the same terms
No-Fault Just Cause
No-fault evictions occur when the tenant has done nothing wrong. In these cases, the landlord must pay the tenant one month's rent as relocation assistance, or waive the final month of rent. Recognized no-fault reasons include:
Owner or family move-in: The owner or a qualifying family member intends to occupy the unit as their primary residence.
Ellis Act withdrawal: The landlord is permanently removing all units in the building from the rental market.
Substantial remodel: The landlord must perform work that requires a permit, cannot be completed with the tenant in place, and will take at least 30 days — cosmetic updates do not qualify.
Demolition: The landlord has obtained all necessary permits to demolish the building.
If a landlord uses owner move-in as the basis for a no-fault eviction and the owner does not actually move in within 90 days and occupy the unit for at least 12 months, the tenant may have a claim for wrongful eviction and can seek to recover damages.
5. Local Rules and Special Protections
Anaheim has no local rent control ordinance and no city-level rent board. The Anaheim City Council has never passed rent stabilization legislation, and under California's Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (Civil Code §§ 1954.50–1954.535), the city could not extend rent control to single-family homes, condominiums, or units built after February 1, 1995 even if it wanted to. Costa-Hawkins effectively limits any future local ordinance to a narrow slice of older multi-unit housing stock — and so far, Anaheim has not pursued even that.
What this means in practice for Anaheim renters: there is no local agency to file a rent overcharge complaint with, no city hotline dedicated to rent disputes, and no municipal just-cause eviction ordinance that goes beyond AB 1482. Tenants must self-enforce their rights or seek help from legal aid organizations, because no government office will proactively monitor whether landlords comply with the state law.
The City of Anaheim does administer a Housing Authority that manages federal Section 8 housing choice vouchers and oversees affordable housing programs. Tenants with rental assistance vouchers or living in city-funded affordable housing developments have separate protections embedded in their subsidy contracts, which in many cases are stricter than AB 1482. Contact the Anaheim Housing Authority at anaheim.net/housing for information about those programs.
Anaheim also has a Code Enforcement Division that handles habitability complaints — broken heating, mold, pest infestations, substandard conditions. Filing a code enforcement complaint does not directly address rent increases, but documented habitability violations can be relevant in an unlawful detainer defense or a rent-withholding situation.
6. Using RentCheckMe with Official Resources
Start by verifying whether your specific unit is covered by AB 1482 using the free address lookup at RentCheckMe.com. Enter your Anaheim address to see the unit's estimated build year, likely exemption status, and applicable rent cap.
For personalized legal help in Anaheim and Orange County, the following organizations offer free or low-cost services:
Legal Aid Society of Orange County — Free civil legal services for low-income Orange County residents, including tenant rights, eviction defense, and habitability issues. This is the primary legal aid resource for Anaheim renters.
Anaheim Housing Authority — Administers Section 8 vouchers and city-funded affordable housing programs; can assist tenants in subsidized units with program-specific questions.
Orange County Housing Authority — County-level housing assistance programs, including emergency rental assistance and information on fair housing rights.
Tenants Together — California's statewide renter advocacy organization; offers tenant rights workshops, a renter hotline, and organizing resources.
Housing Is Key — California's official eviction and rent relief resource hub. Call 833-430-2122 for assistance navigating state programs.
7. Resources for Anaheim Tenants
Legal Aid Society of Orange County — Free civil legal services for low-income Orange County residents, including eviction defense and tenant rights counseling.
Tenants Together — California statewide renter advocacy organization offering a tenant rights hotline, workshops, and organizing support.
Housing Is Key — California's official eviction and rent relief resource hub. Call 833-430-2122 for help navigating state programs.
8. Important Disclaimer
The information on this page is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Rent control laws, CPI figures, and local ordinances change frequently — verify current rules before taking action. If you have a specific dispute with your landlord or face eviction, consult a licensed California attorney or contact a qualified legal aid organization in Orange County. RentCheckMe is not a law firm and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Check Your Address
Find out if your home is covered by rent control or tenant protections.
No. Anaheim has never enacted a local rent control or rent stabilization ordinance. The only rent increase protection available to Anaheim renters is California's statewide AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019), which applies to eligible multi-unit buildings constructed at least 15 years ago. There is no city rent board and no local agency that enforces rent limits.
How much can my landlord raise my rent in Anaheim?
If your unit is covered by AB 1482, your landlord may raise rent by a maximum of 5% plus the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim area CPI, with an absolute cap of 10% per year. For rent increases effective in 2025, the cap is approximately 8.8%. Landlords cannot apply more than two increases in any 12-month period, and unused increases cannot be banked or carried over to future years.
Does AB 1482 apply to my rental in Anaheim?
AB 1482 applies to most Anaheim apartment units in buildings that received their certificate of occupancy before approximately 2011 (the rolling 15-year threshold as of 2026), as long as you have lived there for at least 12 months. It does not apply to single-family homes or condos owned by individual landlords, units in buildings constructed within the last 15 years, or owner-occupied duplexes. Use the free address lookup at RentCheckMe.com to check your specific unit.
Can my landlord evict me without cause in Anaheim?
Not if your unit is covered by AB 1482 and you have lived there for 12 months or more. After that threshold, your landlord must have a recognized at-fault reason (such as nonpayment of rent or a lease violation) or a no-fault reason (such as owner move-in, Ellis Act withdrawal, or a substantial permitted remodel). For no-fault evictions, the landlord must pay you one month's rent as relocation assistance. If your unit is exempt from AB 1482, California's general eviction rules still apply but no just-cause requirement exists.
Where can I get help with a rent dispute in Anaheim?
The Legal Aid Society of Orange County (legal-aid.com) is the primary free legal resource for Anaheim renters and handles eviction defense, rent overcharge disputes, and habitability complaints. You can also call the statewide Housing Is Key hotline at 833-430-2122 or visit housingiskey.com. The Orange County Bar Association (ocbar.org) provides attorney referrals with reduced-fee consultations if you need paid representation.
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