Berkeley voters approved Measure X on November 3, according to unofficial results; it isn’t in effect yet. This short video covers the new 10% cap on AGA-based rent increases, why it mostly affects owners who have skipped a few years, what it means for January 1 increases, and the two other changes owners should know.
Prefer to read? Berkeley Measure X Passed: What Changes for Landlords, and When adds a worked banking example with real AGA figures, the effective-date timeline, the January notice dates, and five FAQs.
What This Video Covers
- 0:00 What Measure X changes
- 0:07 The new 10% cap on AGA-based increases
- 0:21 Who it affects: banked, skipped-year increases
- 0:59 When Measure X is expected to take effect, and January 1
- 1:22 The new September 30 registration deadline and tenant-association change
- 1:46 Where to find the full guide
Key Takeaways
- Once in effect, AGA-based increases on fully covered Berkeley units are capped at 10% in a 12-month period, banked AGAs included
- The 2027 AGA is 2.5%, so the cap matters mainly when several skipped years are taken at once
- No effective date yet; voter-approved ordinances usually take effect 10 days after the City Council declares the result, which could fall before January 1
- Registration fees are due September 30 each year starting in 2027
- Once Measure X takes effect, the tenant-association threshold expands to self-managed parcels with 5 to 9 units; professionally managed parcels already qualify at any size, and established associations keep their rights if management ends
Laws & Resources Mentioned
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Video Transcript
Berkeley voters approved Measure X. Here’s what it changes for landlords, and why it matters for January first.
The headline is a new cap. Once Measure X takes effect, rent increases based on Berkeley’s annual general adjustment can’t go up more than ten percent in a twelve-month period, and that includes banked increases.
Most owners won’t feel it. The 2027 adjustment is two and a half percent. Where the cap shows up is catch-up. In Berkeley, if you skip a year’s increase, it isn’t lost. It banks. And at AEBP, owners sometimes do skip a year, and keeping a good tenant is a common reason.
Before Measure X, several skipped years could come back in one notice. Once it takes effect, increases based on the adjustment are limited to ten percent in a twelve-month period. Our reading is that anything above that stays in the rent ceiling for later, but confirm the amount with the Rent Board.
Timing matters. The City hasn’t announced an effective date, but voter-approved ordinances usually take effect ten days after the council declares the result. In 2024, that landed in late December. So if you’re planning a January first increase with banked amounts, keep it at or under ten percent and confirm with the Rent Board first.
Two more changes, once the measure takes effect. Registration fees will be due September thirtieth instead of July first, starting in 2027. And tenants on self-managed parcels with five to nine units will be able to form a tenant association. Professionally managed parcels already qualified at any size, and an established association keeps its rights if the manager leaves.
The full guide, with a worked example and the January notice dates, is linked below.
