Law Office of Mark B. Palmer

The City of Santa Monica has rent control. Santa Monica rent control laws only apply to residences, not commercial spaces. 

The significance of rent control laws is that a tenant in a rent controlled unit (i.e.: apartment) has many more rights than a tenant in a non-rent controlled unit. There are two main categories of those rights.

[1] Limits on rent increases.

For a non-rent controlled unit, a landlord can often raise the rent without limits, provided the landlord gives the tenant the proper notice (and the tenant does not have a fixed term lease). There are some restrictions, but not many. However, in a rent controlled unit, the landlord may only raise the rent on an existing tenant by certain increments set pursuant to the Santa Monica rent control laws. 

[2] Eviction controls.

For a Santa Monica rent controlled unit, a landlord can only evict a tenant for “just cause”. With few exceptions (such as discrimination or, in some cases, retaliation), a landlord may evict a tenant in a non-rent controlled unit for no basis (provided the tenant does not have a fixed term lease). In a Santa Monica rent controlled unit, a landlord may only evict a tenant for one of the bases listed in the Santa Monica Rent Control Charter Amendment.

Most residential rental units built in Santa Monica before April 10, 1979 are rent controlled units. However, there are many exemptions.

If you are a tenant in Santa Monica and you are not sure if your residence is a rent controlled unit, you should go to the Santa Monica Rent Control Board to find out. The Rent Control Board is located at:

Santa Monica Rent Control Board

Santa Monica City Hall

1685 Main Street; Room 202

Santa Monica, CA 90401

(310) 458-8751

Santa Monica Rent Control Laws

The Santa Monica rent control laws are not located in the city’s municipal code. The Santa Monica rent control laws were passed as an amendment to the city charter and are known as the Santa Monica Rent Control Charter Amendment.

For a link to the Santa Monica Rent Control Charter Amendment and Santa Monica Rent Control Board Regulations, click here.

Mark Palmer specializes in Santa Monica rent control laws. He is a Santa Monica tenants’ lawyer for unlawful detainer actions (eviction cases), rent control disputes, and most Santa Monica tenants’ rights matters.

You can call Mark Palmer at (310) 260-6199. Or, to send an e-mail, click here.