Davis, CA Rental Property Rules: Rent Control (2026)
Rent control rules in Davis, CA, also known as rent stabilization or rent cap ordinances, limit annual rent increases and protect tenants from displacement.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- DMC § 36.14.070(e)-(f)
- Rent freeze window
- 2 years post-application, or until relocation
- Special protection
- lifetime lease for tenants 62+ or disabled
- Post-freeze increases
- require planning commission approval
- Scope
- condo conversions only, not general rentals
Summary
Davis has no general rent control ordinance; state law (Costa-Hawkins, AB 1482) governs most rentals citywide. The one local rent rule applies narrowly to buildings being converted to condominiums: rent cannot rise for two years after a conversion application, and any later increase needs planning commission approval.
No increase in rent. A tenant's rent shall not be increased within two months prior to a project application, nor shall the rent be increased for two years from the time of the filing of the project application or until relocation takes place. At the end of the two-year period, any increase in rent shall first be approved by the planning commission.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4915048; v22 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
070(e), inside the condominium conversion chapter, bars a rent increase within two months before a project application is filed and for two years after filing, or until relocation takes place, whichever comes first. After that two-year freeze, any rent increase must first be approved by the planning commission, which is directed to weigh the University of California Housing Office Apartment Vacancy and Rental Rate Report or the residential rent component of the Sacramento Area Cost of Living Index, the condition of the unit, prevailing rents for comparable units, and a reasonable rate of return on the owner's investment.
070(f) extends stronger protection to two groups: nonpurchasing tenants who are 62 or older and nonpurchasing tenants who are permanently and medically disabled must be offered a lifetime lease, with the same two-year rent freeze and planning-commission review standard applying to any increase afterward. Because this rule is tied specifically to the Subdivision Map Act conversion process, it does not touch ordinary apartment rents outside a conversion; those remain governed by Costa-Hawkins' limits on local rent control and by AB 1482's statewide annual cap for units it covers. A landlord converting units therefore faces a narrower, time-boxed local rent freeze layered on top of, not instead of, the state framework.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 36.14 conversion requirements, including the rent freeze, are enforced through the city's condominium conversion permit process administered by the planning commission and the community development department; noncompliance can block approval, occupancy, or sale of converted units rather than triggering a standalone fine schedule in this section. Chapter 36 as a whole carries its own violation provisions applicable to conversion projects that proceed without complying with these conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Davis have citywide rent control?
When does Davis freeze rent for tenants?
Who approves a rent increase after the freeze ends?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davis
California rules heatmap·Compare Davis to another location·View the California rental property rules overview
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