Temporary Rent Increase Moratorium Ordinance

No.  The Ordinance applies only to residential rental units that received a certificate of occupancy from the City on or before February 1, 1995,   Also, the ordinance does not apply to the following types of rental units even if they were built before February 1, 1995:

• Single-family homes, most condos, and other rental units that may be sold separately from title to any other dwelling unit.  [Note: in most cases, duplexes are not exempt unless built before February 1, 1995, even if the owner occupies one of the duplex units.] 
  • Lodging in hotels, motels, inns, tourist homes, lodging and rooming houses and boarding houses, or other similar temporary lodgings for 30 or fewer days.
  • Rental Units in medical treatment facilities, educational dormitories, convents, monasteries, or similar institutional housing. 
  • Rental units owned or operated or managed by a public agency or not-for-profit organization and restricted to providing housing to low- or moderate income households.
  • Rental units which a government unit, agency or authority owns, operates, or manages, if applicable federal or state law or administrative regulation specifically exempt such units from municipal rent control.
  • Rental units leased to tenants assisted under the Section 8 program (42 U.S.C. Section 1437f) or the Continuum of Care Rental Assistance (42 U.S.C. 11381 et. seq.) or similar rent subsidy program where the tenant's portion of the rent is determined based on their household income and a specific formula so long as the rent demanded does not exceed the authorized payment standard minus the applicable utility allowance.
• Permitted short term vacation rentals for a rental period of 30 days or less.

Existing tenancies. A landlord  cannot increase the rent to an existing tenant above the rent amount in effect on December 16, 2025, while the ordinance is in effect.  An existing tenant is a tenant with a tenancy that began on or before December 16, 2025.  The effective date of the ordinance is February 26, 2026.  If a lawful rent increase went into effect before February 26, 2026, there is not rent rollback, but the amount of the increase may be counted against future rent increases as provided in a permanent rent stabilization ordinance.

A. Rent raised before December 16, 2025

• Allowed. Any lawful increase before Dec 16, 2025 remains valid.

B. Rent raised between December 16, 2025 and February 26, 2026

• Allowed, no rollback. If the increase was lawful, it stands.
• However, this increase will be factored into future adjustments under the permanent rent stabilization program because the Base Rent will be used to calculate allowable increases going forward.

C. Rent raised after February 26, 2026

• Not allowed. Once the ordinance takes effect on Feb 26, 2026, landlords cannot increase rent above the base rent (amount in effect on Dec 16, 2025) for existing tenancies.

• This restriction lasts until Dec 31, 2026 or until a permanent program is adopted, whichever comes first.

  ---

New tenancies.  The ordinance does not regulate the amount of rent that a landlord may establish upon initial occupancy of a rental unit after December 16, 2025.

The ordinance defines rent. Rent includes all periodic payments under a rental housing agreement concerning the use or occupancy of a rental unit, including all payments and other consideration demanded or paid for housing services. Rent does not include refundable security deposits or avoidable fees imposed by a landlord such as fees for late payment of rent or for checks returned for insufficiency of funds.  If rent for a rental unit includes housing services, then any reduction of such services or initiation of a requirement for direct payment by a tenant to a service provider (e.g. new requirement for direct payment by tenant to a utility service provider) is considered a rent increase unless there is a corresponding reduction in rent paid to the landlord.

Housing services include, but are not limited to, repairs, maintenance, painting, providing light, hot and cold water, elevator service, window shades and screens, storage, kitchen, bath and laundry facilities and privileges, janitor services, utility charges that are paid by the landlord, refuse removal, furnishings, telephone, parking, common areas, recreational facilities, the right to have a specified number of occupants, and any other benefit, privilege, arrangement, or facility provided or contracted for in connection with the use or occupancy of any rental unit. Housing services to a rental unit shall include a proportionate part of services provided to common facilities of the building in which the rental unit is contained.

This ordinance automatically expires on December 31, 2026, or on the operative date of a permanent rent stabilization program as established pursuant to ordinance, whichever is earlier.