San Leandro is an Alameda County city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay with no local rent control ordinance — California's AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019) is the primary safeguard for renters in qualifying units.·Updated May 2026
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Key Takeaways
Most pre-2011 multi-family rentals; single-family homes, condos, and units built in the last 15 years are exempt
5% + Bay Area CPI (max 10%/year); approximately 8.8% for 2025 based on Bay Area CPI of ~3.8%
After 12 months of tenancy, landlords must have a legally recognized just-cause reason to evict
San Leandro sits in central Alameda County, directly south of Oakland along the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay. With a population of roughly 90,000 and a housing market shaped by proximity to Oakland and the broader Bay Area job market, San Leandro has seen significant rent pressure over the past decade. A substantial share of residents rent — estimated at around 40% — and many live in the older apartment stock that dots the flatlands near the Nimitz Freeway corridor and downtown.
Unlike neighboring Oakland and Berkeley, San Leandro has never enacted a local rent control ordinance. The California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 — commonly known as AB 1482 — is therefore the sole rent stabilization law protecting San Leandro renters in eligible units. AB 1482 limits annual rent increases to 5% plus the local Consumer Price Index (maximum 10%) and requires landlords to have just cause before evicting a tenant who has lived in a unit for 12 or more months.
This article explains which San Leandro rentals are covered by AB 1482, how the rent cap is calculated using Bay Area CPI figures, what qualifies as just cause for eviction, and where to get free legal help if your landlord is not following the law.
2. Who Is Covered by Rent Control in San Leandro?
AB 1482 covers residential rental units in San Leandro whose certificate of occupancy was issued 15 or more years before the date of the rent increase or eviction notice. Because this is a rolling standard, units built before approximately 2011 generally qualify as of 2026. Multi-family apartment buildings are the most common eligible category.
The following units are exempt from AB 1482 and have no rent increase or just-cause eviction protections under state law:
Single-family homes and condominiums — excluded by the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (Civil Code §§ 1954.50–1954.535), regardless of age, unless the owner is a real estate investment trust (REIT), corporation, or LLC in which a member is a corporation
Units built within the last 15 years — any San Leandro rental with a certificate of occupancy issued after approximately 2011 (rolling forward each year)
Owner-occupied duplexes — where the owner lives in one of the two units
Corporate-owned single-family homes — if a REIT, corporation, or LLC with a corporate member owns an SFH, Costa-Hawkins exemption does not apply and AB 1482 can cover it
Transient or hotel accommodations — short-term rentals and hotels
Government-subsidized affordable housing — Section 8 project-based units and similar programs governed by stricter affordability rules
Commercial properties — no residential component
If you are unsure whether your San Leandro rental qualifies, use RentCheckMe's address lookup tool at rentcheckme.com to check coverage based on your specific address.
3. Maximum Allowable Rent Increases
For covered San Leandro rentals, AB 1482 limits how much a landlord can raise rent in any 12-month period. The formula is 5% plus the local Consumer Price Index (CPI), with a maximum of 10%. San Leandro falls within the San Francisco–Oakland–Hayward metropolitan area CPI region, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Based on a Bay Area CPI of approximately 3.8% for 2025, the effective cap for most covered San Leandro units is roughly 8.8% in 2025.
Key rules for rent increases under AB 1482:
12-month waiting period: A landlord cannot raise rent under AB 1482 until a tenant has lived in the unit for at least 12 months.
No banking of increases: Landlords cannot skip a year and then apply two years' worth of increases at once. Each year's allowance is use-it-or-lose-it.
Two increases per year allowed, but their combined total cannot exceed the annual cap.
Written notice required: A rent increase of 10% or less requires 30 days' written notice; any increase over 10% (which would be illegal under AB 1482 for covered units) would require 90 days' notice.
Rent resets between tenancies: When a covered unit turns over to a new tenant, the landlord may set rent at any market rate; the AB 1482 cap then applies going forward from the new tenancy.
Because San Leandro has no local rent board, there is no office to register rent increases or adjudicate disputes. Tenants must monitor their own increases and seek legal aid or file a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department if a landlord exceeds the cap.
4. Just Cause Eviction Protections
Once a San Leandro tenant has continuously occupied a rental unit for 12 months (or if any one tenant in the household has lived there for 24 months), AB 1482 requires the landlord to have a legally recognized just-cause reason before issuing an eviction notice. Without just cause, the eviction is not valid under state law.
At-Fault Just Cause Reasons
These are situations where the tenant is alleged to have done something wrong:
Nonpayment of rent
Material breach of the lease or rental agreement (after written notice and opportunity to cure)
Maintaining, committing, or permitting a nuisance
Committing waste on the property
Unauthorized subletting or assignment
Refusal to execute a new lease with similar terms after expiration
Criminal activity on the premises, in the building, or against other tenants or the owner
Failure to vacate after a lawful termination of an employee, agent, or licensee tenancy
No-Fault Just Cause Reasons
These are situations where the tenant has done nothing wrong but the landlord has a permitted reason to reclaim the unit:
Owner or family move-in — the owner, spouse, domestic partner, children, grandchildren, parents, or grandparents intend to occupy the unit as a primary residence
Withdrawal from the rental market (Ellis Act) — the owner is permanently removing all units in the building from the rental market
Substantial remodel — construction requiring permits that cannot be completed while the unit is occupied and will take at least 30 days
Demolition — the owner has obtained all required permits to demolish the building
Relocation Assistance for No-Fault Evictions
When a San Leandro landlord terminates a tenancy for a no-fault reason under AB 1482, the landlord must provide the tenant with one month's rent as relocation assistance, or waive the final month's rent. This payment must be made within 15 days of serving the eviction notice. If the landlord fails to pay, the tenant may have grounds to rescind the notice and remain in the unit.
5. Local Rules and Special Protections
San Leandro has no local rent control or rent stabilization ordinance. The City Council has not enacted any rent increase limits, just-cause eviction requirements, or tenant relocation assistance beyond what state law provides. This means San Leandro renters do not have access to a local rent board, a rent registry, or a city-run mediation program for rent disputes.
Part of the reason San Leandro — like most California cities — has not enacted broader local rent control is the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (Civil Code §§ 1954.50–1954.535), a state law that prohibits cities from applying rent control to units built after February 1, 1995, to single-family homes, or to condominiums. Because the majority of San Leandro's post-1995 rental stock and all SFH and condo rentals are off-limits under Costa-Hawkins, local rent control would cover only a narrow slice of the market even if adopted.
For renters outside AB 1482's coverage — including those in single-family homes, condos, or newer buildings — there are effectively no rent increase limits under California law. Those tenants are subject to market rents with only the standard notice requirements: 30 days' notice for increases of 10% or less, and 90 days for increases above 10%.
The City of San Leandro's Housing Division administers programs focused on affordable housing development and federal programs such as Community Development Block Grants, but does not operate a rent mediation or tenant protection program. For code enforcement issues (habitability, health, and safety), tenants can contact San Leandro Code Enforcement through the city's website at sanleandro.org/housing. Alameda County also operates the Housing & Community Development Department and the Alameda County Housing Authority (HACA) for Section 8 voucher programs.
6. Using RentCheckMe with Official Resources
Use RentCheckMe's address lookup tool to quickly determine whether your San Leandro rental is covered by AB 1482 based on building age, unit type, and ownership structure. Enter your address to get a plain-language coverage summary.
The following organizations provide direct assistance to San Leandro renters:
Bay Area Legal Aid — Free civil legal services for low-income tenants across the Bay Area, including Alameda County. Handles eviction defense, habitability issues, and AB 1482 violations.
Centro Legal de la Raza — Free legal services for low-income Latino and immigrant communities in the Bay Area. Offices in Oakland serve San Leandro residents. Offers tenant counseling and eviction defense.
Tenants Together — California's statewide renter advocacy organization. Provides a free tenant rights hotline and local chapter referrals for Alameda County renters.
Eden Housing — Fremont-based affordable housing nonprofit with properties and tenant services in the East Bay, including San Leandro.
Housing Is Key — California's statewide tenant assistance program. Call 833-430-2122 for referrals to local legal aid and rental assistance programs.
7. Resources for San Leandro Tenants
Bay Area Legal Aid — Free civil legal services for low-income Bay Area tenants, including eviction defense and AB 1482 counseling in Alameda County.
Centro Legal de la Raza — Free legal services for low-income Latino and immigrant communities in the Bay Area, with tenant rights and eviction defense programs serving San Leandro.
Tenants Together — California's statewide renter advocacy organization offering a free hotline, know-your-rights resources, and referrals to Alameda County tenant groups.
Alameda County Housing Authority (HACA) — Administers Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and other rental assistance programs for Alameda County residents including San Leandro.
Housing Is Key — California's statewide tenant assistance line (833-430-2122) providing referrals to local legal aid, rent relief, and eviction prevention programs.
8. Important Disclaimer
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Rent control laws, CPI figures, and local policies change frequently — always verify current rules with a licensed attorney or qualified legal aid organization before taking action. RentCheckMe makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. If you have a dispute with your landlord, consult a tenant rights attorney or contact one of the legal aid organizations listed above.
Check Your Address
Find out if your home is covered by rent control or tenant protections.
No. San Leandro has never enacted a local rent control or rent stabilization ordinance. The only rent increase protections available to San Leandro renters come from California's statewide AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019), which applies to qualifying older multi-family units. The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act also limits what local rent control the city could adopt, excluding post-1995 construction, single-family homes, and condos from any future local ordinance.
How much can my landlord raise my rent in San Leandro?
If your unit is covered by AB 1482, your landlord can raise rent by a maximum of 5% plus the Bay Area CPI each year, capped at 10% total — approximately 8.8% in 2025 based on a Bay Area CPI of roughly 3.8%. The increase cannot take effect until you have lived in the unit for at least 12 months, and landlords cannot stack unused increases from prior years. If your rental is exempt — such as a single-family home, condo, or unit built after approximately 2011 — there is no cap on rent increases under California law.
Does AB 1482 apply to my rental in San Leandro?
AB 1482 applies to most San Leandro multi-family rentals whose certificate of occupancy was issued 15 or more years ago — generally pre-2011 buildings as of 2026. Single-family homes and condos are exempt under the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act unless owned by a REIT, corporation, or LLC with a corporate member. Owner-occupied duplexes and units built in the last 15 years are also exempt. Use RentCheckMe's address lookup at rentcheckme.com to check your specific unit.
Can my landlord evict me without cause in San Leandro?
If your unit is covered by AB 1482 and you have lived there for at least 12 months, your landlord must have a legally recognized just-cause reason to evict you — either an at-fault reason (such as nonpayment of rent or lease violations) or a no-fault reason (such as owner move-in or Ellis Act withdrawal). For no-fault evictions, the landlord must provide one month's rent as relocation assistance. If your rental is exempt from AB 1482, the landlord can end a month-to-month tenancy with proper notice and without stating a reason.
Where can I get help with a rent dispute in San Leandro?
San Leandro has no local rent board, so tenants must seek help from outside organizations. Bay Area Legal Aid (baylegal.org) and Centro Legal de la Raza (centrolegal.org) both offer free legal services for qualifying Alameda County renters. Tenants Together (tenantstogether.org) provides a free statewide hotline and East Bay referrals. You can also call Housing Is Key at 833-430-2122 for statewide rental assistance and legal aid referrals.
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