Rent Control in Richmond

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1. Overview of Rent Control in Richmond

Richmond is an urban city in Contra Costa County along the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay, with a historically working-class and racially diverse population. In response to rapid rent increases and displacement pressures that intensified throughout the Bay Area in the mid-2010s, Richmond voters approved the City of Richmond Fair Rent, Just Cause for Eviction, and Homeowner Protection Ordinance in November 2016. The ordinance took effect in January 2017 and established one of the most comprehensive local rent stabilization programs in the region outside of San Francisco and Berkeley.

The ordinance creates the Richmond Rent Board, which sets an Annual General Adjustment (AGA) to limit how much landlords can raise rents each year, requires all rental properties to enroll in the Richmond Rent Program, and extends just-cause eviction protections to covered tenants. The program also provides a petition process through which both tenants and landlords can seek individualized rent adjustments outside the AGA framework.

Units that fall outside the local ordinance — such as properties built in 1995 or later, single-family homes rented to tenants after January 1, 1996, or condominiums — may still be protected by California's AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019), which caps annual rent increases at 5% plus local CPI (maximum 10%) and requires just cause for eviction for qualifying tenants who have lived in a unit for 12 months or more.

2. Who Is Covered by Rent Control in Richmond?

The Richmond Fair Rent Ordinance applies to rental units that meet all of the following criteria:

• Located on a parcel with more than one dwelling unit (2+ units on a single parcel)
• The property was constructed before February 1, 1995 (the ordinance uses a cutoff year of 1994 for data purposes; properties with a recorded build year of 1995 may or may not be covered depending on whether construction was completed before February 1, 1995)
• Used as a residential rental unit in Richmond

The following property types are exempt from the local ordinance:

• Single-family homes (exempt under the ordinance and California's Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act)
• Condominiums (exempt under Costa-Hawkins)
• Units in buildings constructed on or after February 1, 1995
• Units where the tenant shares a kitchen or bathroom with the owner (owner-occupied duplexes, for example)
• Subsidized housing units where rent is determined by a government program (e.g., Section 8 project-based units)

Tenants in exempt units — including those in buildings built in 1995 or later, single-family rentals, or condominiums — should review AB 1482, California's statewide Tenant Protection Act. AB 1482 limits annual rent increases to 5% plus local CPI (capped at 10%) and provides just-cause eviction protections for tenants who have continuously occupied a unit for at least 12 months, provided the property type and ownership structure qualify.

3. Maximum Allowable Rent Increases

The Richmond Rent Board sets an Annual General Adjustment (AGA) each year, which is the maximum percentage by which a landlord may increase rent for covered units in a given year. The AGA is calculated based on changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the San Francisco Bay Area region.

For 2025, the AGA is 1.62%, effective September 1, 2025. Landlords may only impose one rent increase per 12-month period on a covered tenant, and that increase may not exceed the AGA in effect at the time notice is given.

Additional rules governing rent increases under the ordinance include:

• Banked increases: Landlords who did not take the full AGA in prior years may petition to bank and apply those increases, subject to Rent Board approval and limits.
• Capital improvement pass-throughs: Landlords may petition the Rent Board to pass through the cost of capital improvements to tenants beyond the AGA, subject to review.
• Tenant petition for reduction: Tenants may petition the Rent Board to reduce rent if housing services have been reduced, the landlord has failed to maintain the unit in habitable condition, or the current rent exceeds the lawful rent ceiling.
• Landlord petition for increase: Landlords may petition for a rent increase above the AGA based on fair return on investment or increased operating costs.

For units not covered by the local ordinance, AB 1482 limits annual increases to 5% + local CPI (maximum 10% total). The AB 1482 cap is typically higher than Richmond's AGA, making local coverage significantly more protective for eligible tenants.

4. Just Cause Eviction Protections

The Richmond Fair Rent Ordinance provides just-cause eviction protections for all tenants in covered units, regardless of how long they have lived there. A landlord must have a legally recognized reason to terminate a tenancy or refuse to renew a lease.

At-fault just-cause reasons (tenant is at fault) include:

• Nonpayment of rent
• Material breach of the lease after written notice and failure to cure
• Nuisance or damage to the property
• Illegal use of the premises
• Refusal to execute a new lease with materially the same terms upon expiration
• Subletting in violation of the lease
• Criminal activity on or near the premises

No-fault just-cause reasons (tenant is not at fault) include:

• Owner move-in (landlord or qualifying family member intends to occupy the unit as a primary residence)
• Withdrawal of the unit from the rental market (Ellis Act)
• Substantial rehabilitation requiring the unit to be vacated
• Government order requiring the tenant to vacate

Relocation assistance is required for no-fault evictions. The amount varies by reason and household circumstances, but tenants displaced for owner move-in, Ellis Act withdrawal, or rehabilitation are entitled to meaningful relocation payments under the ordinance. Landlords who fail to pay required relocation assistance may be liable to the tenant.

Tenants in units not covered by the local ordinance but who have lived in their unit for 12 or more months may still have just-cause protections under AB 1482, which mirrors many of these at-fault and no-fault categories and also requires relocation assistance for certain no-fault terminations.

5. Local Rules and Special Protections

Richmond Rent Board
The Richmond Rent Board is the governing body that administers the Fair Rent Ordinance. The Board consists of five members appointed by the City Council and is supported by the Richmond Rent Program staff. The Board sets the AGA annually, hears petitions, and enforces the ordinance.

Enrollment & Registration Requirements
All rental properties subject to the ordinance — including multi-unit properties built before 1995 — must be enrolled with the Richmond Rent Program. Landlords are required to register their units and pay an annual program fee. Landlords who fail to register may be prohibited from imposing rent increases and may face penalties. Tenants can verify whether their unit is enrolled by contacting the Rent Program directly.

Filing a Petition
Both tenants and landlords have the right to file a petition with the Rent Board:

• Tenants may petition for a rent reduction if: housing services have been decreased; the landlord has failed to maintain the unit in a habitable condition; the rent charged exceeds the lawful rent ceiling; or the landlord has imposed an unlawful rent increase.
• Landlords may petition for a rent increase above the AGA based on fair return, capital improvements, or extraordinary operating cost increases.

Petitions are filed with the Richmond Rent Program office. Staff can provide forms, answer questions about the process, and refer parties to mediation where appropriate. Hearings are conducted by a hearing officer, and decisions may be appealed to the full Rent Board.

Anti-Harassment Protections
The ordinance prohibits landlord harassment of tenants, including actions intended to force a tenant to vacate or waive rights under the ordinance. Prohibited conduct includes interrupting housing services, making threats, entering the unit without proper notice, and withholding required repairs in retaliation for a tenant exercising their rights. Tenants who experience harassment may file a complaint with the Rent Program or pursue civil remedies.

6. Using RentCheckMe with Official Resources

Use RentCheckMe's address checker to quickly determine whether your Richmond rental unit falls under the local Fair Rent Ordinance or under AB 1482's statewide protections based on your property's recorded build year and type.

The Richmond Rent Program is the primary official resource for tenants and landlords in Richmond. Staff can confirm unit enrollment status, answer questions about the AGA, and provide petition forms:

• Richmond Rent Program — www.ci.richmond.ca.us/rentprogram | Phone: (510) 621-1310
• Bay Area Legal Aid — baylegal.org | Free civil legal services for low-income Bay Area tenants, including Richmond residents.
• Centro Legal de la Raza — centrolegal.org | Free legal services for low-income Latino and immigrant tenants in the Bay Area.
• Tenants Together — tenantstogether.org | California's statewide renter advocacy organization; provides a tenant hotline and local referrals.
• Housing Is Key (CA) — housingiskey.com | (833) 430-2122 | California state housing assistance and renter resources.

7. Resources for Richmond Tenants

• Richmond Rent Program — Official city program administering the Fair Rent Ordinance, including enrollment, petitions, and AGA announcements.
• Bay Area Legal Aid — Free civil legal services for low-income Bay Area tenants, including those in Richmond.
• Centro Legal de la Raza — Free legal services for low-income Latino and immigrant tenants in the Bay Area.
• Tenants Together — California's statewide renter advocacy organization with a tenant hotline and local referrals.
• Housing Is Key — California state housing assistance resources and renter support line: (833) 430-2122.

8. Important Disclaimer

This page is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Rent control laws are subject to change, and individual circumstances vary. If you have questions about your specific situation, contact the Richmond Rent Program directly or consult a qualified legal aid organization or attorney familiar with California landlord-tenant law.

Frequently Asked Questions