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Pacifica is a coastal city in San Mateo County with approximately 40,000 residents. Unlike neighboring jurisdictions such as East Palo Alto, Pacifica has no local rent stabilization or just-cause eviction ordinance for standard apartments or houses. Voters decisively rejected a rent-control ballot measure (Measure C) in November 2017, and no replacement ordinance has been enacted since.
In the absence of local rules, Pacifica renters depend on California's statewide framework: the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482), as amended by SB 567 (effective April 1, 2024), caps rent increases and requires just cause for eviction in qualifying units. AB 12 (effective July 1, 2024) also reduced the maximum security deposit landlords may collect to one month's rent for most tenants.
This guide explains how those statewide protections apply to Pacifica renters, where local rules do and do not exist, and which local organizations can provide assistance.
Pacifica has no local rent control or rent stabilization ordinance for standard residential rental units. The city briefly adopted an interim ordinance in early 2017 limiting rent increases and requiring just cause for eviction, but that ordinance (No. 814) was repealed after a referendum petition collected enough signatures to block it. A permanent rent-stabilization measure placed on the November 2017 ballot (Measure C) was defeated by voters, 62% against to 38% in favor.
As a result, there is no Pacifica city agency that administers rent limits, no local just-cause eviction board, and no local relocation-assistance requirement beyond what state law requires. Landlords of units exempt from AB 1482 (see below) may raise rents by any amount with proper notice.
AB 1482 Rent Cap (Civ. Code § 1947.12): For covered units, landlords may not raise rent more than 5% plus the local CPI increase (capped at 10% total) in any 12-month period. Coverage applies to multi-family buildings issued a certificate of occupancy at least 15 years ago, unless the owner is a real estate investment trust, a corporation, or an LLC in which a corporation holds a membership interest. Exempt units include single-family homes and condos where the owner has provided proper written exemption notice, and units built within the last 15 years.
AB 1482 Just-Cause Eviction (Civ. Code § 1946.2): Tenants in covered units who have continuously and lawfully occupied the unit for at least 12 months cannot be evicted without just cause. SB 567 (effective April 1, 2024) tightened these protections by strengthening enforcement for owner-move-in and substantial-remodel evictions and increasing required relocation assistance to three months' rent for no-fault evictions.
Security Deposit (Civ. Code § 1950.5; AB 12, eff. July 1, 2024): Landlords may collect a maximum security deposit equal to one month's rent for most unfurnished residential units. The landlord must return the deposit (or a written itemized statement of deductions with any remainder) within 21 days after the tenant vacates.
Notice to Terminate Tenancy (Civ. Code § 1946.1): Landlords must give at least 30 days' written notice to tenants who have lived in the unit for less than one year, and at least 60 days' written notice for tenants who have lived in the unit for one year or more.
Habitability (Civ. Code §§ 1941.1, 1942): Landlords must maintain rental units in a habitable condition, including working plumbing, heating, weatherproofing, and freedom from vermin. Tenants may exercise repair-and-deduct rights (up to one month's rent) after giving reasonable notice if the landlord fails to make necessary repairs.
Retaliation Prohibited (Civ. Code § 1942.5): Landlords may not retaliate against tenants for asserting legal rights, including filing complaints about habitability, contacting code enforcement, or organizing with other tenants.
No Self-Help Evictions (Civ. Code § 789.3): Landlords are prohibited from locking out a tenant, removing doors or windows, or shutting off utilities to force a tenant out. Violations entitle the tenant to actual damages plus a statutory penalty of $100 per day.
Source-of-Income Discrimination (Gov. Code § 12955): Landlords may not refuse to rent to a tenant because the tenant uses a housing voucher (Section 8) or other lawful source of income.
California law (Civ. Code § 1950.5), as amended by AB 12 (effective July 1, 2024), limits the maximum security deposit a Pacifica landlord may collect to one month's rent for most unfurnished residential units. (A narrow exception allows up to two months' rent if the landlord is a natural person who owns no more than two residential rental properties totaling no more than four dwelling units, and the tenant has a vehicle that is not specially adapted for their needs — this exception sunsets January 1, 2030.)
At the end of the tenancy, the landlord must either return the full deposit or mail or deliver to the tenant, within 21 days of the tenant vacating, an itemized written statement of any deductions together with any remaining balance of the deposit and copies of receipts for cleaning or repairs. Permissible deductions include unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and cleaning costs to restore the unit to its move-in condition. Normal wear and tear — such as minor scuffs or faded paint — is not deductible. If the landlord fails to comply, the tenant may sue for the wrongfully withheld amount plus up to twice the deposit as a bad-faith penalty.
Because Pacifica has no local just-cause eviction ordinance, the applicable rules depend on whether the unit is covered by AB 1482 (Civ. Code § 1946.2).
Units covered by AB 1482: After a tenant has continuously and lawfully occupied the unit for at least 12 months, the landlord may only evict for one of the enumerated just causes. At-fault just causes include nonpayment of rent, breach of a material lease term (after written notice to cure), nuisance, illegal use of the unit, refusal to sign a renewal lease on similar terms, and criminal activity on the premises. No-fault just causes include owner or qualified family member move-in, withdrawal of the unit from the rental market (Ellis Act), substantial rehabilitation requiring the tenant to vacate, and government order to vacate. For no-fault evictions, the landlord must pay the tenant relocation assistance equal to one month's rent (raised to three months' rent for certain violations under SB 567, effective April 1, 2024) or waive the final month's rent.
Units exempt from AB 1482: Landlords of exempt units (e.g., single-family homes with proper exemption notice, condominiums, units built within the last 15 years) may terminate a month-to-month tenancy without stating a reason by serving proper written notice — 30 days for tenants of less than one year, or 60 days for tenants of one year or more (Civ. Code § 1946.1).
Regardless of whether a unit is covered by AB 1482, a landlord must go through the formal court unlawful detainer (eviction) process to remove a tenant. The landlord must first serve the appropriate notice (3-day notice for nonpayment or cure-or-quit, 30/60-day notice for no-cause termination of eligible tenancies), wait for the notice period to expire, and then file in San Mateo County Superior Court if the tenant does not comply. A landlord may never use self-help measures such as changing the locks or shutting off utilities to remove a tenant (Civ. Code § 789.3).
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tenant-landlord law changes frequently; always verify current statutes and local ordinances before taking action. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed California attorney or contact the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County.
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