Santa Maria, Santa Barbara County's largest city and a hub of California's Central Coast agriculture economy, has no local rent control ordinance — renters rely solely on California's statewide AB 1482 Tenant Protection Act for rent increase limits and eviction protections.·Updated May 2026
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Key Takeaways
Most multi-unit rentals with certificate of occupancy issued before 2011 (15-year rolling rule); single-family homes and condos are exempt under Costa-Hawkins
5% + local CPI (max 10% per year); for the Los Angeles–Riverside–Orange County metro CPI region, the 2025 cap is approximately 8.8%
After 12 months of tenancy, landlords must have a legally recognized at-fault or no-fault reason to evict
Santa Maria sits at the northern end of Santa Barbara County, roughly 75 miles north of Santa Barbara in the Santa Maria Valley. With a population of approximately 110,000, it is the county's largest city and serves as a regional commercial and agricultural center — strawberry and wine grape farming dominate the surrounding landscape. A substantial share of Santa Maria residents are renters, many of them working-class and agricultural families for whom rent stability is a critical economic concern.
Unlike Los Angeles, San Francisco, or even nearby Ojai, Santa Maria has never enacted a local rent stabilization ordinance. That means the only rent increase cap and eviction protection available to most renters here comes from California's statewide AB 1482 Tenant Protection Act of 2019. AB 1482 limits annual rent increases and requires landlords to state a legally recognized reason before evicting a tenant who has lived in a unit for at least 12 months.
This article explains which Santa Maria rentals AB 1482 covers, how the rent cap is calculated using the relevant CPI region, what qualifies as just cause for eviction under state law, and where Santa Maria renters can get free or low-cost legal help.
2. Who Is Covered by Rent Control in Santa Maria?
AB 1482 applies to residential rental units in Santa Maria if the unit's certificate of occupancy was issued at least 15 years ago. Because this is a rolling threshold, units built before approximately 2011 are generally covered as of 2026. Coverage also requires that the tenant has lived in the unit for at least 12 months.
The following types of rentals are exempt from AB 1482 and have no rent cap or just-cause eviction requirement under state law:
Single-family homes and condominiums — exempt under the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (Civil Code §§ 1954.50–1954.535), unless the owner is a real estate investment trust, corporation, or LLC in which a corporation holds an interest
Units built within the last 15 years — any unit with a certificate of occupancy issued after approximately 2011 (as of 2026) is exempt until it crosses the 15-year threshold
Owner-occupied duplexes — where the property owner lives in one of the two units
Government-subsidized affordable housing — units with independent rent restrictions through a recorded regulatory agreement (e.g., HUD Section 8 project-based units) that already impose stricter rent limits
Transient occupancy — hotels, motels, and short-term rentals not used as a primary residence
Commercial properties
If you are unsure whether your Santa Maria rental falls under AB 1482, use the address lookup tool at RentCheckMe.com for a quick check.
3. Maximum Allowable Rent Increases
Under AB 1482, a landlord may raise rent on a covered Santa Maria unit by no more than 5% plus the local Consumer Price Index (CPI) percentage, with an absolute cap of 10% per year. Increases above that amount are illegal and can be challenged by the tenant.
Santa Maria falls within the Los Angeles–Riverside–Orange County metro CPI region for AB 1482 purposes. Based on CPI data used for 2025 calculations, the applicable increase is approximately 8.8% (5% + roughly 3.8% CPI), though the exact figure is recalculated each year using April-to-April CPI data published by the California Department of Finance. Tenants and landlords should verify the current-year cap at the California Attorney General's AB 1482 resource page.
Additional rules governing rent increases under AB 1482:
A landlord may not raise rent until a tenant has lived in the unit for at least 12 months.
Landlords are limited to two rent increases in any 12-month period, and the combined total of those increases cannot exceed the annual cap.
Unused increases cannot be banked or carried over — if a landlord raises rent by only 3% one year, they cannot add the unused 5.8% to the following year's increase.
The cap applies per tenancy, not per unit — a landlord may reset rent to market rate when a new tenancy begins (vacancy decontrol).
4. Just Cause Eviction Protections
Once a Santa Maria tenant has lived in a covered unit for 12 months (or if at least one tenant on a lease has done so for 24 months), the landlord must have a legally recognized just cause to terminate the tenancy. Without a valid reason, the eviction notice is unenforceable under AB 1482.
At-fault just cause reasons (tenant has done something wrong):
Nonpayment of rent
Material breach of the lease agreement
Maintaining a nuisance or causing substantial damage to the property
Conducting criminal activity on the premises
Refusing to allow lawful entry after proper notice
Subletting without the landlord's permission in violation of the lease
Failing to vacate after a fixed-term lease expires and the landlord has declined to renew
No-fault just cause reasons (tenant has done nothing wrong):
Owner or immediate family move-in — the owner, spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, or grandparent intends to occupy the unit as a primary residence
Ellis Act withdrawal — the landlord is removing all units from the rental market
Substantial remodel — work requiring permits that cannot safely be done while the unit is occupied and will take at least 30 days
Demolition of the unit
Relocation assistance: For any no-fault eviction, the landlord must provide the tenant with one month's rent in relocation assistance, or waive the final month's rent. This applies to all four no-fault categories listed above.
5. Local Rules and Special Protections
Santa Maria has no local rent stabilization or rent control ordinance. The city has never adopted one, and state law significantly constrains any future effort to do so. The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (Civil Code §§ 1954.50–1954.535) prohibits California cities from imposing rent control on single-family homes, condominiums, or any units built after February 1, 1995 — a carve-out that covers much of Santa Maria's newer rental stock. Without a local ordinance, there is no Santa Maria rent board, no local rent increase registration process, and no city-level administrative hearing process for rent disputes.
That means AB 1482 is the only rent protection most Santa Maria renters have, and it is self-enforcing — the state does not proactively audit landlord compliance. If your landlord raises rent above the AB 1482 cap or attempts a no-cause eviction, you must raise the issue yourself, either by notifying your landlord in writing, asserting the protections as a defense in an unlawful detainer (eviction) proceeding, or seeking help from legal aid.
Santa Maria does maintain a Housing Division through the city's Community Development Department. The division administers federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and affordable housing programs, but it does not regulate private market rents. The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara (HACSB) administers Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers for eligible low-income renters in the area. Neither entity handles private landlord-tenant rent disputes.
6. Using RentCheckMe with Official Resources
Start by using RentCheckMe.com's address lookup to check whether your specific Santa Maria rental is covered by AB 1482 — it takes about a minute and helps you understand your rights before contacting a landlord or attorney.
If you need additional help with a rent dispute, lease issue, or eviction notice, the following organizations serve Santa Maria renters:
Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County — free civil legal services for low-income renters in Santa Barbara County, including Santa Maria. lafsbc.org
Santa Barbara County Bar Association — lawyer referral service; can connect you with a tenant-side attorney for a reduced-fee initial consultation. sbcba.org
Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara (HACSB) — Section 8 voucher administration and affordable housing resources. hacsb.com
Tenants Together — California's statewide renter advocacy organization; provides tenant education and referrals. tenantstogether.org
Housing Is Key — California's state rental assistance and eviction prevention hotline: 833-430-2122. housingiskey.com
Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services — emergency rental assistance and social service referrals for eligible residents. countyofsb.org/dss
7. Resources for Santa Maria Tenants
Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County — Free civil legal services for low-income renters in Santa Barbara County, including Santa Maria residents facing eviction or illegal rent increases.
Tenants Together — California's statewide renter advocacy organization; provides tenant education, AB 1482 resources, and local referrals.
Housing Is Key — California state rental assistance and eviction prevention program; call 833-430-2122 for help with rent arrears or eviction notices.
Santa Barbara County Bar Association — Lawyer referral service covering Santa Barbara County; can connect renters with tenant-side attorneys for reduced-fee consultations.
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 exemption thresholds change frequently; the details above reflect our best understanding as of May 2026 but may not reflect subsequent changes in law or regulation. If you are facing an eviction, an unlawful rent increase, or another housing legal matter, please consult a licensed attorney or contact a qualified legal aid organization in your area.
Check Your Address
Find out if your home is covered by rent control or tenant protections.
No. Santa Maria has never enacted a local rent control or rent stabilization ordinance. The only rent increase limits that apply to most Santa Maria rentals come from California's statewide AB 1482 Tenant Protection Act of 2019. The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act restricts what local ordinances California cities can adopt, which is one reason Santa Maria — like most California cities — has no local program.
How much can my landlord raise my rent in Santa Maria?
If your unit is covered by AB 1482, your landlord can raise rent by no more than 5% plus the local CPI, with a hard ceiling of 10% per year. Santa Maria falls in the Los Angeles–Riverside–Orange County CPI region, making the 2025 cap approximately 8.8%. If your unit is exempt — a single-family home, condo, or a building less than 15 years old — there is no state cap on rent increases.
Does AB 1482 apply to my rental in Santa Maria?
AB 1482 most likely applies if you rent in a multi-unit building whose certificate of occupancy was issued before approximately 2011 and you have lived there for at least 12 months. It does not apply to single-family homes, condos, units in buildings less than 15 years old, or owner-occupied duplexes. Use the address lookup at RentCheckMe.com to check your specific unit, or contact the Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County for guidance.
Can my landlord evict me without cause in Santa Maria?
Not if your tenancy is covered by AB 1482 and you have lived in the unit for at least 12 months. After that threshold, your landlord must provide a legally recognized at-fault reason (such as nonpayment of rent) or a no-fault reason (such as owner move-in or Ellis Act withdrawal). For no-fault evictions, the landlord must pay one month's rent in relocation assistance. Renters in exempt units — such as single-family homes — do not have this protection under state law.
Where can I get help with a rent dispute in Santa Maria?
The Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County (lafsbc.org) provides free legal help to low-income renters in the area and is the first place to call for an illegal rent increase or eviction notice. The Santa Barbara County Bar Association (sbcba.org) offers attorney referrals for reduced-fee consultations. You can also call Housing Is Key at 833-430-2122 for state rental assistance resources, or reach out to Tenants Together (tenantstogether.org) for tenant education and advocacy support.
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