Rental Property Rules in Camarillo, CA

If you live in Camarillo or are thinking about moving there, rental property rules are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Camarillo has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of rental property rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Repairs & Habitability

Camarillo requires landlords who furnish heat to rental occupants to keep habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms at a minimum 68F, and the city deleted the usual seasonal exception, so the duty runs January 1 through December 31 under Sec. 16.04.370, not just during a defined heating season.

Key details: Governing section: CMC Sec. 16.04.370 (IPMC Sec. 602.3). Minimum temperature: 68F (20C) in habitable rooms/baths. Duty period: January 1 to December 31 (no season exception). Prohibited heat source: Portable unvented fuel-burning space heaters. Work-space minimum: 65F during occupied hours (Sec. 16.04.375).

An owner or operator who fails to supply the required heat, or who supplies it through a prohibited method such as a portable unvented space heater, is subject to enforcement under Sec. 16.04.310, which makes violation of the adopted property maintenance provisions a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. The Code Compliance Division, created under Sec. 16.04.316, is the agency that investigates rental heat complaints.

Rent Increase Notice

Camarillo landlords with five or more rental units, or mobile home park owners, must include a landlord-tenant mediation notice every time they raise rent on an eligible lease, and post it on site as well.

Key details: Governing section: CMC § 10.50.040. Who must notify: Owners of 5+ unit complexes, mobile home parks. Notice trigger: Every rent increase on an eligible lease. Tenant deadline to request mediation: 30 calendar days. Posting size required: At least 8x10 inches on site.

The chapter does not print a specific fine schedule for a missed notice; the operative consequence is procedural, an owner's failure to give the required notice does not stop a rent increase from taking effect but denies tenants the chance to timely invoke mediation, and Section 10.50.080 exposes an owner to a retaliation claim if it takes adverse action against a tenant who does use the mediation process.

Rent Control

Camarillo caps rent increases only in mobile home parks, not apartments or houses. Chapter 10.55, adopted May 13, 2026, limits park owners to one annual increase of 2% to 6% tied to CPI, with a formal petition and arbitration process for anything higher.

Key details: Ordinance: No. 2038, adopted May 13, 2026. Scope: Mobile home parks only, not apartments. Annual increase band: 2% floor, 6% cap, CPI-based. Frequency limit: One increase per 12 months. Notice required: 90 days to homeowner and administrator.

Charging or keeping rent above what Chapter 10.55 allows exposes a park owner to a civil suit under Section 10.55.200: the homeowner can recover the excess rent, and if the overcharge is willful, treble damages plus the homeowner's reasonable attorneys' fees and costs, with no requirement to exhaust any administrative remedy first. A park owner who fails to give the required 90-day notice and documentation under Section 10.55.080 forfeits the right to collect any increase beyond the ministerial CPI amount, and that failure is also a full defense if the owner later sues to collect the increase or to recover possession of the space. Under Section 10.55.210, a homeowner's refusal to pay an unlawful increase is likewise a complete affirmative defense to any eviction action for nonpayment.

The Bottom Line

Camarillo's rental property rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Camarillo is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Camarillo's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.