Rent Increases in the East Bay: What Landlords Can (and Cannot) Do in 2026

What This Video Covers

This is the overview video in our March series on East Bay rent control and rent increases. It covers the statewide AB 1482 framework, current allowable increase rates for each city, registration requirements, and why notice timing matters. Each city gets a dedicated deep-dive in the posts linked below.

• California’s AB 1482 statewide rent cap — what it is and who it covers
• 2026 allowable increases by city: Oakland (0.8%), Berkeley (1.0%), Richmond (1.62%), Emeryville (6.3% AB 1482 rate)
• Annual registration requirements in Oakland, Berkeley, and Richmond
• Why notice timing can make or break a compliant rent increase

What East Bay Landlords Need to Know

Raising rent in the East Bay in 2026 means navigating two layers of law: California’s statewide AB 1482 cap, and the local ordinances in Oakland, Berkeley, and Richmond that are often far stricter. Knowing which rule governs your specific unit — and applying it correctly — is the difference between a valid increase and a tenant petition.

Under AB 1482, most California landlords are capped at 5% plus the local Consumer Price Index, with a hard ceiling of 10%. For the SF-Oakland-Hayward metro area in 2026, that works out to 6.3%. But in Oakland, the Rent Adjustment Program caps increases at just 0.8%. Berkeley’s Annual General Adjustment for 2026 is 1.0%. Richmond’s is 1.62%. Where a local ordinance applies and is stricter than AB 1482, the local rule governs — not the statewide one.

Emeryville is a different case: the city has no local rent cap, so AB 1482’s 6.3% applies. But Emeryville has one of the stronger just cause eviction ordinances in the East Bay, and landlords who terminate a tenancy must deliver a copy of the notice to the City Clerk within 10 days — a procedural step that frequently gets missed.

Oakland, Berkeley, and Richmond all require annual registration of covered units. In Oakland, an unregistered landlord cannot lawfully implement a rent increase and may face the failure to register raised as an affirmative defense in eviction proceedings. Registration isn’t optional and missing the deadline has real consequences.

Notice timing is where many technically correct increases fall apart. The notice period starts on the date of delivery — not when you wrote it, not when you dropped it in the mail. Mailing adds five days. Serve the wrong period or use the wrong delivery method and the notice is void. You start over.

2026 Allowable Increases at a Glance

Key Takeaways

• AB 1482 is the floor, not the ceiling — Oakland, Berkeley, and Richmond all impose stricter local caps that override the statewide law.
• 2026 caps by city: Oakland 0.8% · Berkeley 1.0% · Richmond 1.62% · Emeryville 6.3% (AB 1482 rate applies).
• Oakland, Berkeley, and Richmond require annual unit registration. Non-registration can block rent increases and affect eviction proceedings.
• Emeryville has no rent cap but has strong just cause eviction protections and a City Clerk notice requirement for terminations.
• One increase per 12-month period under AB 1482 — and most local ordinances match this restriction.
• Notice timing starts on the date of delivery — mailing adds 5 days. A defective notice is void; you restart the timeline.

Laws & Resources Mentioned

• Related: AB 1482 Rent Cap Explained — Coverage, Formula & Step-by-Step Calculation
• Related: Oakland Rent Control in 2026 — RAP Rules, Registration & Allowable Increases
• Related: California Rent Increase Notice Requirements — 30 vs. 90 Day Rules
• Full guide: Rent Increases in the East Bay — What Landlords Can and Cannot Do in 2026
• Oakland Rent Adjustment Program
• Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board

Related Videos