City of Pasadena

The following is a brief overview of the tenant protections available in this city. For more details please refer to the ordinance itself and any other resourced linked below.

Overview

What tenant protections does the city have?

Rent Control
Just Cause for Evictions

Who enforces the tenant protections?

Pasadena Rental Housing Board

When were these protections adopted and most recently updated?

Adopted: 2022
Updated: 2024

Rent Stabilization

Exemptions

SFH and condos per Costa Hawkins Act. Anything built after 2/1/1995. Short term rentals and subsidized units owned by a government agency or by a nonprofit and subsidized by tax credits, per local law.
*Units occupied by a tenant with a section 8 voucher are NOT exempt

How much can rent be increased and how often?

75% of CPI. One increase per 12 months.

Is banking allowed?

No

Are passthroughs or additional costs allowed (pets, utilities, parking, etc)?

Petitions for individual rent adjustment using fair return/MNOI standard (base + 50% of CPI)

Eviction Protections

Exemptions

All residential rental units with very few exceptions such as hospitals, covents, and units where the tenant and landlord share a kitchen or bathroom.

Under what circumstances is the landlord obligated to pay relocation assistance to tenant?

All no fault just cause terminations of tenancy as well as tenants displaced by rent increase of 5%+AGA are entitled to relocation assistance.

Visit our Glossary of Common Terms for definitions of terms found in this overview.

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