Rent control rules in Kailua, HI — also known as rent stabilization or rent cap ordinances — limit annual rent increases and protect tenants from displacement.
Neither Honolulu nor the State of Hawaii has rent control. Kailua landlords may raise rent on month-to-month tenants with 45 days' written notice under HRS Chapter 521, the statewide Residential Landlord-Tenant Code.
There is no rent control ordinance in the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu and no statewide rent cap. HRS Chapter 521, the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code, governs residential leases in Kailua and the rest of Hawaii. For month-to-month tenancies, rent increases require 45 days' advance written notice (HRS Sec. 521-21(d)). For fixed-term leases, rent cannot be raised during the term. Notices must be in writing and delivered per HRS Sec. 521-68. Proposed rent-control bills have surfaced at the State Legislature and Honolulu City Council in recent sessions but none have been enacted as of April 2026.
Landlords who fail to provide proper notice before raising rent may have the increase unenforceable in court; tenants can raise the defense in a summary possession action.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Honolulu County.
See how other cities in Honolulu County handle rent control.
See how Kailua's rent control rules stack up against other locations.
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