Hayward, CA Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)

The Residential Rental Inspection Ordinance (HMC Chapter 9, Article 5) states its purpose is "to safeguard the stock of decent, safe, and sanitary rental housing units within the City and to protect persons entering or residing in them." That standard applies to every rental housing unit, hotel and motel room in Hayward and is enforced by the Enforcement Official, defined in Section 9-5.202 as the City Manager or a designee. Compliance is measured against the California Code of Regulations, State Housing Code, California Building, Plumbing, Mechanical and Electrical Codes, the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, and the Hayward Municipal Code itself.

When the Enforcement Official finds a rental property maintained in violation of these standards, Section 9-5.309 requires a written correction notice naming the sections violated, with a correction deadline of no less than ten calendar days unless the condition is an imminent danger to health or safety, in which case immediate correction can be required. An owner may request an Administrative Hearing within ten days of the correction notice to dispute the findings, with judicial review available under Section 1-7.13. Annual inspection fees and penalty charges are set by City Council resolution under Section 9-5.401, and unpaid fees can become a lien or special assessment on the property under Section 9-5.501, following the notice procedure required by Government Code Sections 38773.1 and 38773.5. The habitability duty sits alongside, and does not replace, the minimum housing standards set by state law under Health and Safety Code Section 17920.3.