Berkeley’s rent increase for 2027 is 2.5%, but for a fully rent-controlled unit, whether it can be taken in January depends on when the tenant moved in. This short video covers Berkeley’s new-tenancy rule, why we raise rent on eligible Berkeley units on January 1, and the Oakland and AB 1482 limits through July 2027.
Prefer to read? Oakland and Berkeley Rent Increases for 2027: The New Numbers, and Which One Applies to Each Unit adds a move-in-month wait table, the Berkeley and Oakland eligibility checklists, the January 1 notice calendar, and five FAQs.
What This Video Covers
- 0:00 Berkeley’s 2027 AGA: 2.5%, up from 1.0%
- 0:12 Berkeley’s new-tenancy rule, and who waits until 2028
- 0:42 Why AEBP raises rent on eligible Berkeley units on January 1
- 1:02 Oakland and AB 1482 limits through July 2027
- 1:24 Notice planning targets for a January 1 increase
- 1:41 Where to find the full guide
Key Takeaways
- Berkeley’s AGA is 2.5% for increases on fully covered units that take effect during 2027
- For fully rent-controlled Berkeley units, 2025 move-ins first become AGA-eligible on January 1, 2027; 2026 move-ins first become eligible in January 2028, subject to the lease, proper notice and Rent Board compliance
- On January 1, a tenancy that started in November waits 14 months; waiting for the anniversary means 24 months for every tenancy
- Oakland: 2.3% for increases effective through July 31, 2027. AB 1482-only units: 8.8% over a rolling 12 months for increases effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027, not an additional 8.8% after an earlier increase
- For a lawful January 1 increase that qualifies for 30-day notice, conservative targets are November 25 for first-class mailing within California, or December 1 for personal delivery. Larger cumulative increases or mailing from elsewhere need a different notice calculation
Laws & Resources Mentioned
- Full written guide: Oakland and Berkeley rent increases for 2027
- Berkeley Rent Board — Annual General Adjustment
- City of Oakland — Allowable Rent Increases
- California Civil Code §1947.12 (AB 1482 rent cap)
- California DRE — 2026 Landlord-Tenant Guide (notice periods, pp. 44–46)
- Berkeley Rent Control Compliance Guide
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Video Transcript
Berkeley’s rent increase for 2027 is two and a half percent, up from one percent. But whether a unit can take it in January depends on when the tenant moved in.
For fully rent-controlled Berkeley units, there’s a rule most owners don’t expect: no increase in the year a tenancy starts, or the following calendar year. So a 2025 move-in first becomes eligible on January 1, 2027, and a 2026 move-in waits until January 2028. The lease, proper notice and Rent Board compliance still have to line up.
That’s why, at AEBP, Berkeley is the one city where we raise rent on January 1. If you wait for the lease anniversary instead, every new tenancy waits twenty-four months. On January 1, a tenancy that started in November waits just fourteen.
Outside Berkeley, we time increases to each unit’s lease anniversary. Oakland’s limit is two point three percent through July 2027. For units covered only by state law, the cap is eight point eight percent over a rolling twelve months, for increases effective through July 31, 2027.
For a January 1 increase that qualifies for thirty-day notice, our conservative targets are November 25 if you mail it within California, or December 1 if you deliver it in person. Larger increases need ninety days.
The full guide, with the move-in table and the Berkeley eligibility checklist, is linked below.
