San Francisco Rent Control: What Tenants and Landlords Need to Know About the City's Local Protections
Does San Francisco have rent control, and how do I know if my apartment is covered?
San Francisco's Rent Ordinance covers most residential units built before June 13, 1979. If your building was built on or after that date, it is generally not subject to rent increase limits, though it may still fall under just cause eviction protections. Single-family homes and condos may be exempt if the landlord has filed proper paperwork. Confirm your unit's status at sfrb.org.
How much can a landlord raise rent in San Francisco?
The San Francisco Rent Board sets an allowable annual rent increase each year for covered units, tied to the Bay Area Consumer Price Index. The exact percentage changes annually. Landlords cannot raise rent above that figure for covered units without a separate Rent Board petition. Check the current rate at sfrb.org, as older figures you find online may be out of date.
Can a San Francisco landlord evict a tenant without a reason?
For most San Francisco renters, landlords cannot terminate a tenancy without a legally recognized "just cause," even in buildings not subject to rent control. Just cause reasons include nonpayment of rent, lease violations, owner move-in, and a few others listed in the ordinance. No-fault evictions typically require the landlord to pay relocation assistance. The San Francisco Rent Board at sfrb.org has the full list of qualifying reasons.
What happens if my San Francisco landlord raises my rent illegally?
If you believe your landlord has raised your rent above the allowable amount under San Francisco's Rent Ordinance, you can file a tenant petition with the San Francisco Rent Board. The Rent Board also offers free counseling to help you understand whether an increase was lawful before you file. Contact the Rent Board at sfrb.org or by phone to get information specific to your situation.
Are new apartment buildings in San Francisco subject to rent control?
Generally no. Buildings constructed on or after June 13, 1979 are exempt from San Francisco's rent increase limits. They may still be subject to just cause eviction protections under the local ordinance, and California's statewide AB 1482 rent cap may apply to some of those buildings if they meet state-law criteria. Check with the San Francisco Rent Board at sfrb.org for your specific building.
San Francisco has some of the most tenant-protective rental laws in California, and they operate largely independently of state law. If you live in or rent out a unit in the city, understanding how the local ordinance works - and where it doesn't apply - can make a significant practical difference in what you owe, what you can charge, and what your rights are if a dispute comes up.
Related: San Jose Rent Control: Which Apartments Are Covered, What Landlords Can Charge, and How to File a Complaint · What California Homebuyers Need to Know About Mortgage Rates Right Now
What San Francisco's Rent Ordinance Actually Covers
The city's Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Ordinance, administered by the San Francisco Rent Board, applies to most residential rental units built before June 13, 1979. That date is the key dividing line: buildings constructed on or after that date are generally not covered by rent control, though they may still be subject to the ordinance's "just cause for eviction" protections, which are a separate layer of the law.
For covered units, the ordinance limits how much a landlord can raise rent each year. That annual allowable increase is set by the Rent Board and is tied to a percentage of the Consumer Price Index for the San Francisco Bay Area. The specific percentage changes year to year - check the Rent Board's current rate schedule at sfrb.org rather than relying on any figure you read here or elsewhere online, since this number is updated periodically and older figures circulate widely.
It's worth knowing that California's statewide AB 1482 rent cap - which limits annual increases to 5% plus local CPI, or 10% total, for properties it covers - runs in parallel. For units already under the city ordinance, the local rule generally provides stronger protections, so it takes precedence. For newer buildings that fall under AB 1482 but not the local ordinance, the state law is what applies.
Just Cause Eviction: The Protection That Covers More Buildings
Even if your unit isn't subject to rent control because it was built in 1979 or later, you may still be protected by the ordinance's just cause eviction rules. Under the San Francisco ordinance, landlords generally cannot evict a tenant without a legally recognized reason. The Rent Board lists specific "at-fault" causes - things like nonpayment of rent, lease violations, or illegal subletting - and "no-fault" causes, which include owner move-in, substantial rehabilitation, and demolition, among others.
No-fault evictions typically trigger relocation assistance requirements. The amounts and conditions attached to those payments depend on the specific reason for eviction and the tenant's circumstances, including whether they are elderly, disabled, or have children in the household. Again, the Rent Board is the authoritative source on current amounts and conditions - these are updated and the specifics matter a great deal in individual cases.
What's Not Covered
The ordinance has significant carve-outs that surprise a lot of tenants. Single-family homes and condominiums are generally exempt from the rent increase limits if the landlord has filed the proper paperwork with the Rent Board, though just cause eviction protections may still apply depending on when the tenancy began and other factors. Units where a landlord lives in the same building and rents out fewer than a certain number of units may also be exempt. Subsidized housing, some nonprofit-owned housing, and certain other categories have their own rules.
See also: Apple Stock Price Falling Today: What California Investors Need to Know About AAPL's Drop · Beef Recalled in California? 30,000 Pounds of Argentine Beef Pulled - What Shoppers Need to Know
The city also has specific rules around short-term rentals - listings on platforms like Airbnb - that interact with the rent ordinance. Renting a rent-controlled unit as an unhosted short-term rental without proper city registration can expose a tenant to eviction, and landlords have specific obligations too. The Office of Short-Term Rentals handles that piece separately from the Rent Board.
How to File a Petition or Get Help
If you think your landlord has raised your rent beyond the allowable amount, or if you're facing an eviction you believe isn't legally grounded, the Rent Board is the first stop. Tenants can file a petition with the Rent Board to challenge an unlawful rent increase; landlords can also petition for rent increases above the annual limit if they can demonstrate qualifying capital improvements or increased operating costs, a process called a "landlord petition."
The Rent Board offers free counseling - tenants and landlords can call or visit in person to ask questions before filing anything formal. The city also has several nonprofit tenant legal aid organizations that provide free or low-cost help to income-qualifying residents, though those are separate from the Rent Board itself. If an eviction case reaches the courts, the relevant Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, handles unlawful detainer proceedings.
This is general information, not legal or financial advice. San Francisco's Rent Ordinance is detailed and fact-specific - exact eligibility, current allowable rent increase percentages, relocation assistance amounts, and exemptions should be confirmed directly with the San Francisco Rent Board at sfrb.org, or by calling the Rent Board's public information line. Rules can and do change, and the specifics of any individual tenancy matter significantly.