Rent control rules in Fairfield, CA — also known as rent stabilization or rent cap ordinances — limit annual rent increases and protect tenants from displacement.
Fairfield has not adopted a local rent control ordinance. Rent increases on covered rental units are governed by California's Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482, codified as Civil Code §1947.12), which caps annual rent increases at 5% plus the regional Consumer Price Index (CPI), not to exceed 10% in any 12-month period. The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (Civil Code §§1954.50-1954.535) preempts Fairfield from imposing rent control on single-family homes, condominiums, and units first certified for occupancy after February 1, 1995.
AB 1482 (effective January 1, 2020, sunset extended through January 1, 2030 by AB 2014 in 2024) applies to most multifamily rental units in California except those exempted. Covered units in Fairfield include apartment buildings with two or more units that are at least 15 years old (rolling), corporate-owned single-family rentals where the entity is a real estate investment trust or LLC with a corporate member, and condominium units owned by entities (not natural persons). Exempt units include: owner-occupied duplexes, single-family rentals owned by natural persons or revocable trusts (with required AB 1482 exemption notice in the lease), buildings constructed within the last 15 years (rolling), affordable housing units restricted by deed, dormitories, and certain other categories. The cap is 5% plus regional CPI, with the Bay Area CPI typically running 3-5%, producing maximum legal increases of 8-10%, capped at 10%. Landlords may issue only two rent increases per 12-month period, and the total over the 12 months cannot exceed the cap. Costa-Hawkins (Civil Code §1954.50 et seq.) prevents Fairfield from enacting rent control even if it wanted to: single-family homes and condos sold separately are exempt by statute, units first occupied after February 1, 1995 are exempt, and 'vacancy decontrol' allows any landlord to reset rent to market on turnover. Three California ballot measures (Prop 10 in 2018, Prop 21 in 2020, Prop 33 in 2024) sought to repeal or weaken Costa-Hawkins; all three failed, so the statewide preemption remains in force. Fairfield's housing market — driven by Travis Air Force Base, Anheuser-Busch, Jelly Belly, and Sacramento/Bay Area commuters — has seen rent growth roughly tracking statewide trends, with median asking rents in the $2,000-$2,700 range for two-bedroom units.
Charging rent in excess of the AB 1482 cap on a covered unit: tenant remedy is to withhold the overcharge, sue for restitution of overpayments, treble damages under Civil Code §1947.12(j) for willful violations, and attorney's fees. The Department of Real Estate and Department of Consumer Affairs do not enforce AB 1482 — enforcement is private through the courts or Solano County Superior Court small claims division for amounts under $10,000. Failure to provide the AB 1482 disclosure (the statutorily required notice that the tenancy is or is not subject to AB 1482) is a separate violation under Civil Code §1947.12(d)(5). Misclassifying a covered unit as exempt without basis can void the exemption claim retroactively.
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