Rent control rules in Santa Clara County, CA — also known as rent stabilization or rent cap ordinances — limit annual rent increases and protect tenants from displacement.
Unincorporated Santa Clara County follows California AB 1482 statewide rent cap (5 percent plus CPI, max 10 percent) with no local rent control ordinance.
Unincorporated Santa Clara County is covered by California's statewide Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482), codified at Civil Code 1946.2 and 1947.12. AB 1482 caps annual rent increases at 5 percent plus the local CPI, or 10 percent total, whichever is lower. For the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area, the allowable increase for the 12 months beginning August 1, 2024 was approximately 8.6 percent. AB 1482 applies to most rental housing over 15 years old, but exempts single-family homes and condos when owned by non-corporate owners who provide proper notice, new construction under 15 years old, duplexes where the owner occupies one unit, and subsidized housing. The county itself has not enacted local rent control beyond state law, unlike San Jose and Mountain View which have municipal rent stabilization. Tenants in unincorporated Santa Clara County receiving illegal over-the-cap increases can file complaints with the California Department of Real Estate or seek legal aid through the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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