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Mountain View is a city in Santa Clara County in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area, home to major technology employers and one of the most competitive rental markets in the country. Rapid rent increases driven by the tech industry prompted Mountain View voters to pass Measure V in November 2016, enacting the Community Stabilization and Fair Rent Act (CSFRA), which took effect on December 23, 2016. The CSFRA was one of the first new local rent control ordinances passed in California in decades, reflecting widespread renter concern about housing affordability in Silicon Valley.
The CSFRA establishes two tiers of protection. Fully covered units — multi-family rental properties with three or more units built before February 1, 1995 — receive both rent stabilization (a cap on annual increases) and just-cause eviction protections. Partially covered units — multi-family properties with three or more units built between February 1, 1995 and December 23, 2016 — receive just-cause eviction protections only, without rent stabilization. A separate Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Ordinance (MHRSO) applies rent stabilization to Mountain View's mobile home parks.
For units that fall outside the CSFRA's coverage — such as single-family homes, condominiums, and newer apartment buildings — California's AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019) may serve as a backstop, capping annual rent increases at 5% plus local CPI (or 10%, whichever is lower) and requiring just cause for eviction in qualifying buildings. Because the CSFRA generally provides stronger protections than AB 1482, AB 1482 does not apply to units already covered by the CSFRA.
Coverage under the CSFRA depends on the property type, the number of units, and the year the building was constructed.
If your unit is exempt from the CSFRA — for example, a single-family home or a newer apartment building — you may still have protections under AB 1482, California's statewide Tenant Protection Act. AB 1482 caps rent increases at 5% plus local CPI (maximum 10%) and requires just cause for eviction in multi-family buildings 15+ years old, statewide. Confirm your unit's status with the Mountain View Rental Housing Committee or a legal aid organization.
For fully covered units under the CSFRA, annual rent increases are strictly limited by a formula tied to inflation.
The Mountain View Rental Housing Committee publishes the allowable rent increase percentage each year, typically in the spring, based on the most recent CPI data for the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose area. Landlords may not impose the annual increase more than once every 12 months, and the increase cannot take effect with fewer than 30 days' written notice to the tenant.
Landlords who do not implement the full allowable increase in a given year may not bank unused increases to impose a larger increase in a future year. The CSFRA does allow landlords to petition the Rental Housing Committee for an upward adjustment if they can demonstrate that the standard allowable increase is insufficient to provide a fair rate of return, or to pass through certain capital improvement costs. Tenants may also petition for a downward adjustment if the landlord has failed to maintain habitable conditions.
Under Mountain View's separate Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Ordinance (MHRSO), annual rent increases in mobile home parks are also limited to 60% of CPI, with the same 0% floor and 3% ceiling as the CSFRA.
The CSFRA requires landlords to have a legally recognized just-cause reason before evicting any tenant in a covered or partially covered unit (multi-family buildings with 3+ units built on or before December 23, 2016).
For no-fault evictions — including owner move-in and Ellis Act withdrawals — landlords are required to pay relocation assistance to displaced tenants. The specific amount is set by the Rental Housing Committee and varies based on the circumstances; tenants should contact the Committee or a legal aid organization to confirm current requirements. Re-rental restrictions also apply after a no-fault eviction.
For units not covered by the CSFRA (e.g., newer buildings or SFH), AB 1482 requires just cause for eviction in qualifying multi-family buildings statewide. Because the CSFRA provides broader coverage and stronger protections, AB 1482's just-cause provisions apply only where the CSFRA does not.
The Rental Housing Committee (RHC) is the five-member elected body responsible for administering and enforcing the CSFRA. The RHC adopts regulations, sets the annual allowable rent increase, hears petitions from landlords and tenants, and oversees the rental unit registration program.
All landlords with units subject to the CSFRA are required to register their rental units with the Rental Housing Committee each year and pay an annual registration fee. Landlords who fail to register their units may be prohibited from implementing rent increases. Tenants can verify whether their unit is registered through the RHC's online registry at the Mountain View city website.
Both tenants and landlords may file petitions with the Rental Housing Committee. Tenants may petition for a downward rent adjustment if the landlord has failed to provide required services, maintain habitable conditions, or has otherwise violated the CSFRA. Landlords may petition for an upward rent adjustment above the standard allowable increase to ensure a fair rate of return, or to pass through certain capital improvement costs. Petitions are filed with the RHC's administrative office; forms and instructions are available on the city's website.
The CSFRA prohibits landlords from harassing, intimidating, or retaliating against tenants who exercise their rights under the ordinance. Prohibited conduct includes interrupting essential services, threatening eviction without just cause, and making repeated uninvited entries to the unit. Tenants who experience harassment may file a complaint with the Rental Housing Committee or pursue remedies in court.
Mountain View Rental Housing Committee
500 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA 94041
Phone: (650) 903-6136
Website: www.mountainview.gov/rentalhousing
Use RentCheckMe's address checker to quickly determine whether your Mountain View unit is covered by the CSFRA, partially covered, or subject only to AB 1482 protections.
The RHC is your primary resource for registration status, allowable rent increases, petition forms, and enforcement of the CSFRA. Visit www.mountainview.gov/rentalhousing or call (650) 903-6136.
This page is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Rent control laws and regulations change frequently; the information here may not reflect the most recent amendments to the CSFRA or state law. For advice specific to your situation, contact the Mountain View Rental Housing Committee at (650) 903-6136, Bay Area Legal Aid, or another qualified legal professional.
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