Rent Control & Tenant Rights in SF

Which units are rent-controlled, how much your landlord can raise rent, deposit rules, and what it takes to evict you.

4 min read
Table of contents

Tenant protections come from the SF Residential Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Ordinance (Chapter 37) and several California state laws. Whether your unit is covered depends on the building type and construction date.

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Costa-Hawkins Exemption Trap

Condos and single-family homes are exempt from local rent control price caps under California's Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. A landlord can legally double your rent at the end of a 12-month lease term. Always verify the building construction date and parcel status before signing.

Two factors determine coverage:

  1. Building Construction Date: Multi-unit buildings built on or before June 13, 1979 fall under local rent control price caps.
  2. Property Type: Single-family homes and condos are exempt from price caps under state law regardless of construction date, but keep eviction protections.

Property Coverage Matrix

Property Type Construction Date Rent Increase Capped? Just Cause Eviction Rights? Max Security Deposit Cap
Multi-Unit Apartment Building Built BEFORE June 13, 1979 YES (Capped by SF Rent Board annual allowable %) YES (Covered under Chapter 37) 1 Month Rent (CA AB 12)
Single-Family Home or Condo Any Construction Date NO (Costa-Hawkins exempt from local price cap) YES (SF Just Cause or State AB 1482 applies) 1 Month Rent (CA AB 12)
Multi-Unit Apartment Building Built AFTER June 13, 1979 NO (Unless covered by State AB 1482 5%+CPI if >15 yrs old) YES (SF Just Cause or State AB 1482 applies) 1 Month Rent (CA AB 12)
Sublet / Master Tenant Room Pre-1979 Building YES (Proportionate rent share restriction) Subject to master lease terms 1 Month Rent

Allowable Rent Increase Limits

For covered pre-1979 multi-unit apartments, landlords may only increase rent once every 12 months by an allowable percentage calculated annually by the SF Rent Board.

  • Calculation Formula: The allowable increase equals 60% of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region.
  • Historical Allowable Rate: Historically ranges between 0.5% and 3.6% per year (for example, 1.7% effective March 1, 2024 through February 28, 2025).
  • Banking Increases: Landlords who do not impose an allowable increase in a given year may "bank" that percentage and impose it in a future year, subject to notice requirements.

Security Deposit Rules (AB 12)

  • 1 Month Deposit Limit (AB 12): Effective July 1, 2024 (CA AB 12), landlords cannot demand more than 1 month's rent as a security deposit for residential leases. Small landlords owning no more than 2 residential properties totaling max 4 units have a 2-month deposit limit exception.
  • 21-Day Refund Deadline: Within 21 calendar days after key surrender, the landlord must return the full deposit or provide an itemized statement detailing allowable deductions (repair of damage beyond normal wear and tear) along with receipts.
  • Mandatory Interest Payments: SF landlords holding security deposits for over 1 year must pay tenants annual interest on the deposit based on the annual rate published by the SF Rent Board.

Just Cause Eviction Rules & Tenant Protections

Under Chapter 37, a landlord cannot evict a tenant simply because a lease expires. Landlords must prove one of 16 statutory Just Cause reasons, divided into two categories:

At-Fault Evictions (No relocation payment required)

  • Non-payment of rent or habitual late payment.
  • Substantial breach of a material lease obligation.
  • Nuisance, illegal activity, or causing substantial damage to the property.
  • Refusal to sign a lease renewal with substantially identical terms.

No-Fault Evictions (Mandatory relocation payments required)

  • Owner Move-In (OMI): Landlord or qualified relative intends to occupy the unit as their principal residence for at least 36 consecutive months.
  • Ellis Act Eviction: Landlord intends to remove all residential units in the building permanently from the rental market.

Mandatory Relocation Fees

For no-fault evictions (OMI / Ellis Act), landlords must pay statutory relocation assistance to displaced tenants:

  • Base Relocation Fee: Approximately $7,000 to $10,000+ per tenant, capped at a maximum of ~$30,000 per household.
  • Additional Allowance: Extra relocation payments (~$4,500+) apply for elderly (60+) or disabled tenants and households with minor children.

Action Checklist

  • Check your building's construction date on the SF Planning Property Information Map (PIM).
  • Review your lease agreement for Costa-Hawkins disclosure notices.
  • Verify that your security deposit does not exceed 1 month's rent.
  • Save your landlord's annual rent increase notice and compare against SF Rent Board allowable rates.
  • Calculate your total initial move-in costs with the Move-In Calculation Tool.
  • Cross-reference apartment requirements in Apartment Hunting Guide and Rental Application Paperwork.
  • Review short-term housing rules in Temporary Housing Options.