Rent control rules in Santa Cruz, CA — also known as rent stabilization or rent cap ordinances — limit annual rent increases and protect tenants from displacement.
Santa Cruz has no local rent control. Measure M, a 2018 ballot initiative to enact local rent control and just-cause eviction, was defeated by 65.5% of voters. California state law (AB 1482) provides the only applicable rent caps.
AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019, Civ. Code §1947.12) caps annual rent increases at 5% + regional CPI (typically 8-10% maximum) for covered units (most multi-family buildings 15+ years old, certain single-family rentals owned by corporations). Single-family homes owned by non-corporate landlords, units exempt under Costa-Hawkins (Civ. Code §1954.50), and buildings under 15 years old are exempt. Santa Cruz Code Ch. 21.07 extends AB 1482 just-cause protections to Section 8 voucher holders.
AB 1482 violations are private rights of action. State Department of Real Estate enforces broker-related complaints; civil suits for unlawful rent increases under Civ. Code §1947.12.
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