All four rent-cap rates governing East Bay rental properties for the 2026–2027 cycle are now confirmed. AB 1482’s statewide cap rises to 8.8% (from 6.3%), Oakland’s RAP rises to 2.3% (from 0.8%), Berkeley’s AGA holds steady at 1.0%, and Richmond’s AGA actually drops to 1.5% (from 1.62%). If you own property in more than one of these jurisdictions, the rate that applies to a given unit did not move by the same amount, or even necessarily in the same direction — here’s what changed, why, and what to check before your next notice goes out.
Key Facts: 2026–2027 East Bay Rent Caps
| Jurisdiction | New Rate | Effective | Prior Rate | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB 1482 (statewide) | 8.8% | Aug 1, 2026 | 6.3% | ↑ Up |
| Oakland RAP | 2.3% | Aug 1, 2026 | 0.8% | ↑ Up |
| Berkeley AGA | 1.0% | Jan 1, 2026 (unchanged) | 1.0% | — No change |
| Richmond AGA | 1.5% | Sept 1, 2026 | 1.62% | ↓ Down |
AB 1482 and Oakland run on an August–July cycle. Berkeley runs on a calendar-year cycle. Richmond runs on a September–August cycle. Each jurisdiction’s rate applies only within its own effective window — see the date column above before applying any figure to a specific notice.
All four rates apply only to units covered under each jurisdiction’s ordinance — not every rental property in these cities is covered. See each jurisdiction’s dedicated guide (linked in the FAQ below) for coverage rules before applying a rate to a specific unit.
What Changed — and Why
None of these figures are set by a committee vote on a fixed percentage. Three of the four are mechanical formulas tied to published inflation data, and the fourth is a local board decision with its own public record. That’s worth understanding, because it explains why the numbers moved the way they did this cycle — and why “it’s 2026” isn’t itself a reason any of this changed.
AB 1482 (8.8%, up from 6.3%): the statewide formula is a fixed 5% plus the regional Consumer Price Index change, capped at 10%. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ April 2026 release put the San Francisco–Oakland–Hayward CPI change at 3.8%, more than double last year’s 1.3% figure — which is the entire reason the cap jumped from 6.3% to 8.8%. The formula itself didn’t change; the inflation input did.
Oakland RAP (2.3%, up from 0.8%): Oakland’s formula is 60% of the same regional CPI change, capped at 3%. Applied to the same 3.8% CPI figure, that’s 2.28%, which the city rounds to 2.3%. Because Oakland’s formula only takes 60% of the CPI change rather than adding a flat 5%, its rate moves by a smaller amount in absolute terms even off the same inflation data — which is why Oakland’s increase (1.5 points) looks modest next to AB 1482’s (2.5 points) even though both are driven by the identical CPI release.
Berkeley AGA (1.0%, unchanged): Berkeley isn’t part of this update in the sense of “something changed” — its 1.0% rate was set by the Rent Stabilization Board back in November 2025 and has been in effect since January 1, 2026. It’s included here because it’s easy to mistakenly assume Berkeley moved in step with Oakland and AB 1482 this cycle. It didn’t, and won’t again until its own board publishes a 2027 figure, expected around Q4 2026.
Richmond AGA (1.5%, down from 1.62%): Richmond’s Rent Board adopted Regulation 615, setting the 2026 Annual General Adjustment at 1.5% for tenancies that began before September 1, 2025, effective September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027. This is the one figure on this list that went down. Richmond’s formula, like Oakland’s, is 60% of CPI capped at 3% — but Richmond’s CPI lookback window and calendar don’t line up with Oakland’s or AB 1482’s, so a lower regional inflation reading in Richmond’s specific measurement period produced a lower result even in a year where the other three jurisdictions’ rates rose.
What We’re Seeing Across Our Portfolio
We manage 600+ units spread across Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, and Richmond, and every year these four rates update on their own separate schedule, we get the same question from owners with property in more than one of these cities: “did my rate go up too?” This is the first cycle in the years we’ve tracked these side by side where the honest answer for one jurisdiction — Richmond — is no, it actually went down. Owners who haven’t checked Richmond specifically and are assuming every East Bay rate rose together this year are the ones most likely to serve a notice above the new cap without realizing it. If you own in Richmond and are used to rounding up to “about 1.6%” from memory, that habit will overshoot the new limit by more than a tenth of a point — small on paper, but enough to make a notice challengeable.
Before Your Next Rent Increase Notice
- Confirm which jurisdiction actually governs the unit — local ordinances in Oakland, Berkeley, and Richmond override AB 1482 for covered properties; AB 1482 only applies where no stricter local rule exists.
- Confirm which rate applies based on the rent increase’s effective date, not the date the notice is served — a notice served before a jurisdiction’s effective date can still use the new, higher rate, as long as the increase itself takes effect on or after that date and the required notice period (30 or 90 days, depending on the size of the increase) is met.
- Recalculate banked increases if applicable — Oakland’s banked-increase cap is tied to the current AGA (3x AGA, so 6.9% at the new 2.3% rate) and changes whenever the AGA does.
- Reconfirm the 12-month lookback date for the specific unit — the rate change doesn’t reset or restart this clock.
- For Oakland units, confirm the correct Business Tax Certificate documentation for the type of increase: a CPI-only increase requires a current Business Tax Certificate or a copy of a payment plan for delinquent business taxes; a notice that includes any banked increase requires a current Business Tax Certificate, with no payment-plan alternative. A correct rate on an otherwise defective notice is still void.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do these new rates apply to my property right now?
It depends on the rent increase’s effective date, not the date you serve the notice. AB 1482’s 8.8% and Oakland’s 2.3% apply to increases that take effect on or after August 1, 2026 — a notice served before that date can still use the new, higher rate, as long as the increase itself is effective August 1, 2026 or later and the required notice period is met. An increase effective before August 1, 2026 must still use the outgoing rate (6.3% / 0.8%). Richmond’s 1.5% works the same way relative to September 1, 2026. Berkeley’s 1.0% has already been in effect since January 1, 2026. Confirm your notice’s effective date, not its service date, before applying any figure.
Why did AB 1482’s cap jump so much this year?
The formula (5% plus regional CPI, capped at 10%) didn’t change — the CPI input did. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ April 2026 release measured a 3.8% increase in the San Francisco–Oakland–Hayward CPI, versus 1.3% the year before. That’s the whole difference between last year’s 6.3% and this year’s 8.8%.
Why did Richmond’s rate go down while the others went up?
Richmond’s formula is also 60% of CPI capped at 3%, like Oakland’s, but Richmond’s CPI lookback window and effective calendar don’t align with Oakland’s or AB 1482’s. A lower inflation reading during Richmond’s specific measurement period produced a lower result (1.5%, down from 1.62%) even in a cycle where AB 1482 and Oakland both rose. Each jurisdiction’s rate has to be checked on its own terms — they don’t move in lockstep just because they’re all CPI-based.
My property is in Oakland or Berkeley — does AB 1482’s 8.8% apply to me?
No, in almost all cases. Oakland and Berkeley both have local rent-control ordinances that are stricter than AB 1482, and local ordinances override the statewide cap for covered units. AB 1482’s rate only governs where no stricter local ordinance applies. Applying the statewide 8.8% figure to a rent-controlled Oakland or Berkeley unit is one of the most common and costly compliance mistakes we see from landlords who also own property in non-rent-controlled cities.
Where can I read the full breakdown for my specific jurisdiction?
See our dedicated guides: AB 1482 Rent Cap Explained, Oakland Rent Control in 2026, and Rent Increases in the East Bay: What Landlords Can (and Cannot) Do. Each covers the full calculation, coverage rules, and notice requirements for that specific jurisdiction.
Sources
- AB 1482 8.8% — Required by law. BLS News Release, Consumer Price Index, San Francisco Area, April 2026; formula per Civil Code §1947.12.
- Oakland RAP 2.3% — Required by local ordinance. City of Oakland — Allowable Rent Increases (same page also documents the Business Tax Certificate / payment-plan requirement referenced above).
- Berkeley AGA 1.0% — Required by local ordinance. Berkeley Rent Board, “2026 AGA Published”.
- Richmond AGA 1.5% — Required by local ordinance. City of Richmond — Rent Increase / Annual General Adjustment (Rent Board Regulation 615).
Not Sure Which Rate Applies to Your Property?
We track all four of these rates — and every registration, certificate, and notice requirement that comes with them — for 600+ units across Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, and Richmond, so our clients never have to double-check which formula applies to which unit.
