Merced, CA Rental Property Rules: Rent Control (2026)
Rent control rules in Merced, CA, also known as rent stabilization or rent cap ordinances, limit annual rent increases and protect tenants from displacement.
Key Facts
- General rent control
- None citywide
- Freeze duration
- 6 months after tenant returns post-repair
- Applies to
- Units emptied for 2023 flood-related repairs
- Exempt
- Costa-Hawkins/AB 1482-exempt properties
- State backstop
- Civil Code Sec. 1947.12 statewide cap applies
Summary
Merced has no general rent control ordinance. It imposes only a narrow, temporary rent freeze under Chapter 9.75: a landlord who displaced a tenant for storm-related repairs cannot raise rent for six months after that tenant returns to the unit.
A landlord may not increase rent on a property subject to Section 9.75.040 above, for six (6) months from the date that the tenant returns to the respective unit following completion of repair or rehabilitation. A.A property that is exempt from rent limits imposed by Civil Code Section 1947.12 or Civil Code Section 1954.50 et seq. is exempt from this section.B.This section does not apply when a unit becomes vacant following a tenant's decision to decline their right to return and the landlord sets the initial rent for a new tenancy.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 - 1-26).
Full Breakdown
040's right-of-first-refusal for six months from the date the tenant returns to the unit following completion of repair or rehabilitation. The right of return itself applies only where the owner sought in good faith to make substantial repairs that could not be completed while the unit was occupied, tied to units displaced by the January 8, 2023 flooding emergency. 12; it does not apply once a unit becomes vacant because the tenant declined the right to return, letting the landlord set a new initial rent; and it does not apply to scheduled rent increases under a written rental agreement signed before January 8, 2023.
090 makes clear that where the chapter conflicts with Costa-Hawkins, the Ellis Act, or the Tenant Protection Act of 2019, those state laws prevail. Outside this narrow post-disaster window, Merced landlords set rent by the market subject only to the statewide Tenant Protection Act cap.
Violations & Fines
A tenant who believes a landlord raised rent in violation of the moratorium may report it to code enforcement under Section 9.75.060, which can issue a correction notice or administrative citation under Chapter 1.10, or a compliance order under Chapter 1.11, in addition to any other remedy available under state rent law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there rent control in Merced?
When does Merced's rent freeze apply?
Can a Merced landlord set a new rent if the displaced tenant does not return?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Merced
California rules heatmap·Compare Merced to another location·View the California rental property rules overview
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