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City of Alameda, CA · RROSL (Alameda Municipal Code Chapter 6, Article X; Ordinance No. 3148) — one of four Alameda County rent-control overlays

City of Alameda rent control 2026 RROSL Ordinance 3148: ~1.2% for 2026 (70% × SF-Oakland-Hayward CPI). Pre-1995 CoC. Universal just-cause.

The City of Alameda, California — an island city in Alameda County, distinct from Oakland, Berkeley, and Hayward — has the Rent Review, Rent Stabilization, and Limitations on Evictions Ordinance (RROSL), codified at Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) Chapter 6, Article X (§§6-58.80 et seq.) and enacted by Ordinance No. 3148. Alameda has maintained some form of residential rent review protections since the 1980s; the RROSL represents the current strengthened framework. For 2026, the Alameda RROSL annual general adjustment is approximately 1.2%, based on approximately 70% of the CPI-U for the SF-Oakland-Hayward Metropolitan Statistical Area (March-to-March). Landlords should verify the current year’s official published figure with the City of Alameda Rent Stabilization Program. The RROSL covers multi-unit buildings with first CoC on or before February 1, 1995 (Costa-Hawkins aligned). Universal just-cause eviction protections apply broadly. The Alameda ~1.2% 2026 cap sits between Berkeley’s 1.0% (65% × Bay Area CPI) and Oakland’s ~1.7% (100% × Bay Area CPI capped at 3%), with Hayward’s 5% flat cap as the outlier among the four Alameda County overlays.

Alameda’s 2026 cap: RROSL formula and annual adjustment

The Alameda RROSL (AMC Chapter 6, Article X, Ordinance No. 3148) sets the maximum annual rent increase for covered units using a formula based on approximately 70% of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward Metropolitan Statistical Area, measured March-to-March.

For 2026, the SF-Oakland-Hayward MSA CPI (measuring approximately the 12-month period ending March 2026) is running approximately 1.7%. The RROSL formula produces: 70% × 1.7% ≈ 1.2%. The City of Alameda Rent Stabilization Program publishes the official annual general adjustment figure each year, and landlords of covered units should confirm the current year’s published figure before serving any rent increase notice.

The Alameda RROSL ~1.2% for 2026 places the city within the cluster of Bay Area low-CPI-anchored overlays for 2026:

  • Berkeley BMC Chapter 13.76 — ~1.0% for 2026 (65% × SF-Oakland-Hayward CPI, lowest cap in the entire RentCeiling catalogue).
  • City of Alameda RROSL (Ordinance 3148) — ~1.2% for 2026 (approximately 70% × SF-Oakland-Hayward CPI). This page.
  • East Palo Alto (EPAMC Chapter 14, Measure J) — ~1.4% for 2026 (80% × SF-Oakland-Hayward CPI capped at 10%).
  • San Jose ARO (SJMC Chapter 17.23) — ~1.5-2.0% for 2026 (lesser of 5% or 100% × SF-Oakland-Hayward CPI).
  • Mountain View CSFRA (Charter Article XVII) — ~1.7% for 2026 (100% × SF-Oakland-Hayward CPI capped at 5%).
  • Oakland RAP (OMC Chapter 8.22) — ~1.7% for 2026 (100% × SF-Oakland-Hayward CPI capped at 3%).
  • Richmond RMC Chapter 11.100 (Measure L) — ~1.7% for 2026 (100% × SF-Oakland-Hayward CPI, no ceiling).
  • Hayward HMC Chapter 12 — 5.0% flat for 2026 (no CPI indexing).

Alameda’s approximately 70% CPI multiplier sits between Berkeley’s 65% multiplier (the lowest CPI fraction in the California catalogue) and the 80% multiplier used by East Palo Alto (EPAMC Chapter 14). Oakland, Mountain View, and Richmond all use 100% of the Bay Area CPI, producing higher caps in low-CPI years like 2026.

RROSL coverage: which Alameda units are protected

The Alameda RROSL rent-cap framework covers multi-unit residential rental buildings constructed before the ordinance’s qualifying first-certificate-of-occupancy (CoC) cutoff date. Consistent with the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (Cal. Civ. Code §1954.52(a)(1)), the RROSL covers buildings with first CoC on or before February 1, 1995 — the state-preemption anchor date for all post-1995 local rent-cap ordinances in California. This places the City of Alameda RROSL in the same Costa-Hawkins-aligned cluster as:

  • Berkeley BMC Chapter 13.76 (voter-enacted 1980, February 1, 1995 first-CoC)
  • Mountain View CSFRA Charter Article XVII (Measure V, November 2016, February 1, 1995 first-CoC)
  • Pasadena Charter Article XVIII (Measure H, November 2022, February 1, 1995 first-CoC)
  • Richmond RMC Chapter 11.100 (Measure L, November 2016, February 1, 1995 first-CoC)
  • Culver City CCTPO CCMC §15.09 (January 2020, February 1, 1995 first-CoC)
  • Inglewood RSO IMC §8-420 (Measure II, November 2020, February 1, 1995 first-CoC)

Units in buildings with a first CoC after February 1, 1995 are preempted by Costa-Hawkins and fall to AB 1482’s statewide cap (approximately 8% for 2026 using the SF-Oakland-Hayward MSA CPI, below the 10% ceiling under Cal. Civ. Code §1947.12(a)(1)).

Units typically excluded from the RROSL rent-cap (though often still subject to just-cause eviction):

  • Post-1995 construction. Buildings with first CoC after February 1, 1995 fall under Costa-Hawkins preemption. Newer units (first CoC within the last 15 years, approximately 2011 or later for 2026) are also exempt from the AB 1482 statewide cap under the AB 1482 rolling 15-year exemption at §1947.12(d).
  • Single-family homes and condominiums. Under Costa-Hawkins §1954.52(a)(2)-(3), condos lawfully separable when sold to a bona fide purchaser and single-family homes with post-1996 tenancy commencement are generally preempted from local RSO rent-cap coverage. These units fall to AB 1482’s statewide cap for rent increases.
  • Government-subsidized affordable housing. Units with a recorded affordability covenant (LIHTC, Section 8, BMR, RAD) are typically exempt from the RROSL rent-cap.

Alameda’s pre-1995 rental housing stock is concentrated in the historic Victorian-era neighborhoods of the West End, Central Alameda, and the neighborhoods around Park Street. The island geography means Alameda has a high proportion of older multi-unit buildings relative to newer suburban cities, making RROSL coverage relevant to a substantial share of Alameda’s rental market.

Banking under the Alameda RROSL

The Alameda RROSL provides for limited banking of unused annual general adjustments, subject to a per-notice ceiling enforced by the City of Alameda Rent Stabilization Program. Alameda’s banking model places the city in the per-notice-ceiling band alongside West Hollywood (WHMC §17.36.030(c), 8% ceiling), Mountain View (CSFRA Charter §1707(c), 10% ceiling), San Jose (SJMC §17.23.190(B), 8% ceiling), East Palo Alto, Richmond, and Pasadena — in contrast to the permanent-forfeit jurisdictions that do not allow banking at all (Oakland, Hayward, AB 1482, LA City RSO, Santa Monica, Culver City, Inglewood).

Landlords seeking to implement a banking-based increase should verify the current per-notice ceiling and any eligibility conditions with the City of Alameda Rent Stabilization Program before serving the notice. Requirements may include current registration with the Program, absence of open habitability violations, and compliance with any deposit-interest obligations.

The structural contrast within Alameda County on banking is significant: Oakland uses a petition-gated banking model (OMC §8.22.070(B) requires a RAP pre-approval petition before any above-AGA notice — Form RAP-100 series, 60–90 day review — making it the most administratively constrained banking model in California); Berkeley uses unlimited accumulation banking under BMC §13.76.110(C) (no per-year or per-notice ceiling, the most permissive model in the catalogue); Hayward has no banking at all (5% flat binary forfeit); and Alameda has limited per-notice-ceiling banking. Four structurally different banking models within one California county.

Four Alameda County overlays: structural comparison

The City of Alameda sits in Alameda County alongside Oakland, Berkeley, and Hayward — all four of which have local rent-control overlays. Each covers a separate city with a fundamentally different cap structure:

  • Berkeley BMC Chapter 13.76 (voter-enacted June 1980; most recently amended to reflect the February 1, 1995 Costa-Hawkins anchor). Formula: 65% × SF-Oakland-Hayward CPI (July-to-June). 2026 AGA: 1.0% (lowest cap in California overlay catalogue). Banking: unlimited accumulation, no per-year or per-notice ceiling (most permissive banking model in California). Registration: ~$246/year per unit. See Berkeley page.
  • City of Alameda RROSL (AMC Chapter 6, Article X, Ordinance 3148). Formula: approximately 70% × SF-Oakland-Hayward CPI (March-to-March). 2026 AGA: approximately 1.2%. Banking: limited, per-notice ceiling. This page.
  • Oakland RAP (OMC Chapter 8.22) (council-enacted 1980; amended 2022 to add 3% absolute ceiling). Formula: 100% × SF-Oakland-Hayward CPI (March-to-March) capped at 3.0%. 2026 AGA: approximately 1.7%. Banking: petition-gated (RAP pre-approval required before any above-AGA notice). Registration: ~$112/year per unit. See Oakland page.
  • Hayward HMC Chapter 12 (council-enacted 1980; just-cause added 2019). Formula: 5.0% flat rate (no CPI multiplier, no CPI override). 2026 cap: 5.0% — the most landlord-permissive cap of the four in low-CPI 2026 (every other CA overlay’s 2026 cap is below Hayward’s 5.0%). Banking: no banking; binary forfeit. See Hayward page.

An Alameda County landlord holding one building in each city faces four different annual caps (1.0%, 1.2%, 1.7%, 5.0%), four different CPI-observation windows and formula structures, four different registration systems, and four different banking models. The 1980 wave of Alameda County rent-control enactments — Berkeley, Oakland, and Hayward all enacted their ordinances in the same year — produced structurally divergent frameworks that have evolved further in opposite directions over the past 45 years.

The City of Alameda’s RROSL, enacted more recently than the 1980-vintage Berkeley/Oakland/Hayward ordinances, takes a structurally middle position: a CPI fraction (approximately 70%) higher than Berkeley’s 65% but lower than Oakland’s 100%; limited banking with a per-notice ceiling; and a February 1, 1995 first-CoC cutoff consistent with the Costa-Hawkins anchor rather than the pre-1995 cutoffs used by Oakland (December 31, 1982) and Hayward (July 1, 1979), which are broader.

Notice requirements for City of Alameda rent increases

California Civil Code §827(b) governs the timing of all City of Alameda residential rent-increase notices:

  • 30-day rule under §827(b)(2)(A) — increases of less than 10% take effect 30 calendar days after service. Alameda’s ~1.2% RROSL cap is well below the 10% threshold.
  • 90-day rule under §827(b)(3) — increases of 10% or more require 90 calendar days. Not applicable under standard RROSL compliance.
  • §1013 mailing-add — 5 additional days when notice is served by U.S. Mail. Effective period: 35 days.
  • RROSL citation requirement — a rent increase notice for a covered RROSL unit should cite the Alameda Municipal Code Chapter 6, Article X (AMC §§6-58.80 et seq., Ordinance 3148) and state that the proposed increase does not exceed the current year’s published annual general adjustment. Landlords should verify any additional Alameda-specific disclosure requirements with the City of Alameda Rent Stabilization Program.
  • AB 1482 §1947.13 disclosure — for covered multi-unit buildings, include the AB 1482 tenant-rights disclosure required under §1947.13.

Just-cause eviction under the Alameda RROSL

The Alameda RROSL’s “Limitations on Evictions” component (the “L” in RROSL) provides just-cause eviction protections for covered Alameda tenants. The RROSL just-cause provisions apply broadly to Alameda rentals, including units that may be excluded from the rent-cap portion of the RROSL framework.

Qualifying just causes for eviction under the Alameda RROSL include:

  1. Non-payment of rent
  2. Material breach of a lease term not cured after written notice
  3. Maintaining a nuisance or causing substantial damage
  4. Refusal to permit lawful access (Cal. Civ. Code §1954)
  5. Unauthorized sub-letting in violation of the lease
  6. Refusal to renew a written lease at expiration on substantially similar terms
  7. Criminal activity on the premises
  8. Owner or qualifying family member intends to occupy as primary residence (with advance notice and relocation assistance requirements)
  9. Withdrawal of the unit from the rental market (with advance notice and relocation assistance)
  10. Substantial rehabilitation under permit requiring temporary vacancy
  11. Demolition with permit

For evictions based on owner-move-in or withdrawal from the rental market, the RROSL typically requires advance notice and the payment of relocation assistance to the departing tenant. The relocation assistance amount and notice period requirements should be verified with the City of Alameda Rent Stabilization Program before serving any no-fault eviction notice.

AB 1482 §1946.2 also applies as a parallel just-cause framework for units exempt from RROSL rent-cap coverage (primarily post-1995-CoC units and certain single-family homes). For covered tenants of 12+ months, the RROSL just-cause protections provide the controlling framework.

Penalty for exceeding the Alameda RROSL cap

An Alameda landlord who charges rent above the lawful RROSL annual general adjustment faces both administrative and civil remedies:

  1. Administrative complaint to the City of Alameda Rent Stabilization Program. The Program can order rent rollback to the lawful rate, repayment of unlawfully-collected amounts with interest, and civil penalties.
  2. Civil action in Alameda County Superior Court. For amounts also in excess of the AB 1482 statewide cap: refund with 10% interest (Cal. Civ. Code §3289(b)); treble damages where willful (up to three times the over-cap rent, minimum $250 per violation under Cal. Civ. Code §1947.12(h)(3)); attorney fees to prevailing tenants under §1947.12(i).
  3. Defense to unlawful detainer. A tenant can raise the overcharge as an affirmative defense to an unlawful-detainer action for non-payment, voiding the eviction predicate.

The three-year statute of limitations under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §338 applies to civil claims. Tenants who believe they are being charged above the RROSL allowance should first contact the City of Alameda Rent Stabilization Program to file an administrative complaint.

How RentCeiling handles City of Alameda RROSL compliance

The free California calculator routes City of Alameda units to either the RROSL framework (for covered pre-1995-CoC multi-unit buildings, approximately 1.2% for 2026) or the AB 1482 statewide framework (for uncovered units, approximately 8%), with the Costa-Hawkins coverage determination applied before computing the cap. The California notice generator emits a §827(b)-compliant Alameda rent-increase notice with the RROSL AMC citation and the AB 1482 §1947.13 disclosure. The Oakland RAP page covers the adjacent Oakland overlay (OMC Chapter 8.22, ~1.7% for 2026) including its petition-gated banking model. The Berkeley page covers BMC Chapter 13.76 (1.0% for 2026, unlimited banking accumulation). The Hayward page covers HMC Chapter 12 (5.0% flat for 2026, no banking). Open rule-set at /rules/california.json.

Run the California 2026 cap calculator (free)

Common questions about Alameda rent control

Does the City of Alameda CA have rent control?

Yes. The City of Alameda has the RROSL (AMC Chapter 6, Article X, Ordinance No. 3148), which covers multi-unit buildings with first CoC on or before February 1, 1995. The 2026 annual general adjustment is approximately 1.2% (approximately 70% × SF-Oakland-Hayward CPI). Verify the official figure with the Alameda Rent Stabilization Program. Units not covered fall to AB 1482 (~8% for 2026). The City of Alameda is separate from Oakland, Berkeley, and Hayward — each city has its own distinct ordinance, registration, and administrative framework.

What is Alameda’s 2026 rent cap?

Approximately 1.2% under the RROSL (approximately 70% × ~1.7% SF-Oakland-Hayward MSA CPI). Verify the official 2026 annual general adjustment with the City of Alameda Rent Stabilization Program before serving any notice, as the Program publishes the figure separately each year. Units not covered by the RROSL fall to AB 1482 at approximately 8% for 2026 (SF-Oakland-Hayward MSA).

Which City of Alameda units are covered by the RROSL?

Multi-unit residential rental buildings with first CoC on or before February 1, 1995 (Costa-Hawkins aligned). Single-family homes, condos, post-1995-CoC units, and government-subsidized affordable housing are typically excluded from the rent-cap framework. Universal just-cause eviction protections under the RROSL may still apply to units excluded from the rent cap. Contact the Alameda Rent Stabilization Program to confirm coverage for a specific address.

How does Alameda’s cap compare to Oakland’s?

Different ordinances for different cities. Oakland (~1.7% for 2026) uses 100% × SF-Oakland-Hayward CPI capped at 3% (OMC Chapter 8.22). City of Alameda (~1.2% for 2026) uses approximately 70% × SF-Oakland-Hayward CPI (AMC Chapter 6, Article X). Both anchor to the same CPI series but use different multipliers, producing different annual caps. Both have the February 1, 1995 first-CoC cutoff. Banking structures differ: Oakland uses petition-gated banking requiring RAP pre-approval; Alameda uses limited per-notice-ceiling banking. Separate registration systems, administrative tribunals, and penalty frameworks.

Can I bank unused Alameda RSO increases?

The Alameda RROSL provides limited banking subject to a per-notice ceiling. Unlike Berkeley (unlimited accumulation banking under BMC §13.76.110(C)), Oakland (petition-gated banking under OMC §8.22.070(B)), and Hayward (no banking), Alameda provides per-notice-ceiling banking similar to Mountain View (CSFRA 10% ceiling), San Jose (8% ceiling), and West Hollywood (8% ceiling). Verify the current per-notice ceiling and eligibility requirements with the City of Alameda Rent Stabilization Program before serving any banking notice.

What notice must I give for a City of Alameda rent increase?

30 days under Cal. Civ. Code §827(b)(2)(A) for increases under 10% (all RROSL-compliant Alameda increases qualify). Add 5 days for mail under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §1013. Cite AMC Chapter 6, Article X (Ordinance No. 3148) and state the current year’s official annual general adjustment. Include the AB 1482 §1947.13 tenant-rights disclosure for covered multi-unit buildings.

Is the City of Alameda the same as Oakland for rent control purposes?

No. Alameda and Oakland are separate incorporated cities in Alameda County with completely different rent-control ordinances. Oakland is governed by OMC Chapter 8.22 (~1.7% for 2026, petition-gated banking, ~$112/year registration). Alameda is governed by AMC Chapter 6, Article X, Ordinance 3148 (~1.2% for 2026, per-notice-ceiling banking, separate registration). A landlord with properties in both cities must maintain separate compliance tracks, attend separate administrative hearings for disputes, and file separate annual registrations with each city’s program. The Oakland RAP (Rent Adjustment Program) has no authority over Alameda units; the Alameda Rent Stabilization Program has no authority over Oakland units.