On Thursday, some Los Angeles County renters may wake up to a 30-day notice from their landlord about a rent increase. Other renters may have known about the increase since July. The silver lining is that for many Californians, the amount of the increase is limited by law.
The statewide Tenant Protection Act, passed in 2019, places a limit on how much landlords and property managers can raise rent each year.
Here’s a more detailed look at how the law works and what you can expect.
How much can the rent be increased?
According to the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, the rent cap in Los Angeles County has been at 8.9% since August 1. That’s a slight increase from last year’s 8.8% limit.
Each year, the law provides for a calculation that takes inflation into account. The rent can be increased by 5% plus the evolution of the local cost of living.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ consumer price index for April for the Los Angeles area was 3.9%. Add 5% to that and you get this year’s cap of 8.9% for Los Angeles County. It will remain in effect through Aug. 1, 2025.
Under the Tenant Protection Act, the total increase for the year cannot exceed 10%. Inflation has eased somewhat since 2022, when every region of the state met the requirement that the cap be set at no more than 10%.
Who is affected?
The law applies to most residential rentals in California, excluding homes built in the last 15 years. Renters in newer buildings may be subject to higher increases from their landlords.
Some California cities, including Los Angeles, have their own local rent control laws that further limit annual rent increases. The county says those local regulations take precedence.
The City of Los Angeles’ rent control restrictions, called the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, cover properties built on or before October 1, 1978; units built after July 15, 2007, that replaced demolished rental units built on or before October 1, 1978, may also be covered.
The rental can be an apartment, condominium, townhouse, duplex, ADU, or single-family home if there are two or more on the same lot.
You can find out if your property is covered by the City of Los Angeles’ Rent Stabilization Ordinance online by entering your address.
Other Los Angeles County residents can contact their local city hall to find out if rent control restrictions are in place in their city.
Stay Housed LA, a coalition of legal aid organizations, also has a short list of cities in Los Angeles County and their unique protections against rent increases. The coalition can also advise you on how these rent increase rules apply to your rental.
