26 Sep Los Angeles Rent Control (RSO): A 2026 Guide for Owners
Last updated October 2026. This guide replaces our earlier posts on the RSO, the 2007 rent control expansion and the housing department’s name change.
The Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) covers most apartment buildings in the City of Los Angeles. If you own one, the RSO controls how much and how often you can raise rent. It also controls when you can recover a unit and what you owe a tenant who has to move. The rules changed significantly in 2026. Here is where they stand now.
Which properties are covered
The RSO generally applies to a rental unit in the City of Los Angeles if the property was built on or before October 1, 1978. That includes apartments, rented condos and townhomes, duplexes, and two or more houses on the same parcel. It also includes rooms rented to the same tenant for 30 days or more, residential units attached to commercial buildings, and ADUs on RSO properties. In addition, the RSO covers some units built after July 15, 2007 that replace demolished RSO units.
Generally not covered: a single-family home that is the only residence on its parcel, most units built after October 1, 1978, and certain affordable or luxury units exempted by the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD).
The fastest way to check a property is LAHD’s online lookup. Alternatively, the city’s ZIMAS parcel map shows RSO status and the number of registered units.
The allowable annual increase
For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, the allowable RSO increase is 3% (it was also 3% for July 2025 through June 2026).
The formula itself changed in 2026. Under the ordinance signed in December 2025, the annual increase is now 90% of the change in the Consumer Price Index, with a floor of 1% and a ceiling of 4%. The old formula allowed a range of 3% to 8%.
Previously, owners could add 1% increases when they paid a tenant’s gas or electricity. The city has eliminated those additional increases. According to LAHD’s current guidance, RSO increases may not include any additional percentage for utilities as of February 2, 2026.
Other rules on increases:
- An owner can increase rent only once every 12 months.
- A tenant must receive at least 30 days’ written notice of an increase.
- The owner must register the property with LAHD and pay the annual registration fees. Without a valid registration, an owner cannot legally raise the rent, and in some cases cannot collect it.
Vacancy: rent resets to market
Under the state’s Costa-Hawkins Act, the owner can set a new tenant’s starting rent at market when the prior tenant moves out voluntarily or is evicted for cause. The RSO then applies to that new rent going forward. As a result, rents on long-term tenancies in an older building can sit far below market, while recently turned units are at market. That is also why we budget RSO buildings unit by unit. See How We Build an Annual Operating Budget for Your Apartment Building.
However, vacancies created by certain no-fault evictions, such as owner move-ins or Ellis Act withdrawals, carry separate restrictions. These limit re-renting and the rent the owner can charge.
Evictions require just cause
An owner can evict an RSO tenant only for one of the reasons listed in the ordinance. At-fault reasons include nonpayment of rent, material lease violations, nuisance and illegal use. No-fault reasons include owner or family occupancy, substantial remodeling under an approved plan, and demolition. They also include withdrawal of the building from the rental market under the Ellis Act.
For nonpayment, the city also sets a minimum. An owner cannot evict a tenant for unpaid rent that is less than one month’s Fair Market Rent for the unit size. For October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, that threshold is $2,151 for an efficiency, $2,402 for a one-bedroom, $2,964 for a two-bedroom, $3,760 for a three-bedroom and $4,208 for a four-bedroom. LAHD updates these figures periodically.
Relocation assistance
A no-fault eviction requires the owner to pay relocation assistance. The amount depends on the tenant’s length of tenancy and income. It also depends on whether the household includes a senior, a person with a disability or a minor child. For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, LAHD lists $11,000 for an eligible tenant, or $14,400 if the tenancy is three years or longer or the household earns below 80% of area median income. For a qualified tenant (a senior, a person with a disability or a household with a minor child), the amounts are $23,150 and $27,400. Reduced “Mom and Pop” amounts of $10,550 and $21,250 apply in certain owner-occupancy cases. LAHD adjusts the amounts every year, so check the current schedule before serving any notice.
Units that are not under the RSO
The city and state still regulate newer buildings, just differently:
- Just Cause Ordinance (JCO). The JCO covers most non-RSO rental units in the city. It does not cap rent. However, it requires a legal reason to evict once a tenant has been in place for six months or their first lease has ended, whichever comes first. It also requires relocation assistance for no-fault evictions.
- State rent cap (AB 1482). California’s Tenant Protection Act applies to many non-RSO units. For August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027, LAHD lists the maximum increase for Los Angeles as 8.7%. Some properties are exempt. These include buildings less than 15 years old and certain single-family homes where the owner has given the required notice.
- Notice periods. For non-RSO units, an increase of 10% or less requires 30 days’ written notice, and an increase over 10% requires 90 days.
A note on the housing department
Readers of our older posts may remember LAHD becoming HCIDLA in 2013. Since then, the department has returned to its original name, the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD), at housing.lacity.gov.
How we handle RSO compliance
For the buildings we manage, we track each unit’s RSO status and anniversary date and apply the allowable increase on schedule. We also keep registration current and document notices, so increases are defensible if a tenant challenges them. If you own RSO property in Los Angeles and want help with compliance, budgeting or a sale, get in touch.
Related guides
- How to Check If a Property Is Under the RSO
- How We Build an Annual Operating Budget for Your Apartment Building
- RUBS Utility Billing in Los Angeles
- Los Angeles Earthquake Retrofit Rules for Apartment Owners
This article is general information, not legal advice. RSO rules are detailed and change often; confirm current requirements with LAHD or an attorney before acting.
Sources: LAHD Renter Protections · LAHD: What Is Covered Under the RSO · LAHD Renter Protections Notice (updated July 1, 2026)