On January 20, 2023, Chair Leah Simon-Weisberg wrote to California State Assemblymember Matt Haney to express support of AB 12 on behalf of the Berkeley Rent Board. The bill, introduced by Haney, would limit security deposits throughout the state of California to one month’s rent, and is meant to address the practice of landlords setting security deposits for residential rental units at two and…

As heavy storms hit Berkeley, flooding and water intrusion can create a mess for tenants and landlords alike. The Rent Board encourages tenants and landlords to communicate and identify areas of concern at the property or unit and work together to take preventative measures to avoid water intrusion. If water does enter a rental unit, direct communication from tenants and prompt responses from…

RENT STABILIZATION BOARD NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON POSSIBLE INCREASE OF REGISTRATION FEES FOR THE 2023-2024 FISCAL YEAR DATE:  Thursday, March 16, 2023 TIME:   7:00 p.m. LOCATION:  Berkeley Unified School District Board Room, 1231 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA 94702 AND…

Update: Need assistance with registering your property? Questions about registration fees or other registration-related matters? You can now use the Registration Unit’s online form to request an appointment with a Registration Administrator. Appointments can be by phone…

At the March 21, 2023 City Council meeting, an ordinance was adopted to “transition” and then end the COVID-19 Emergency Response Ordinance, otherwise referred to as the Eviction Moratorium. The Transition Period, May 1, 2023 – August 31, 2023, will allow for property owners who own just one residential property in Berkeley to initiate Owner Move-In Evictions, and will allow for evictions to…

On March 21, 2023, the Berkeley City Council amended the COVID-19 eviction moratorium to end the moratorium in two phases. During the Covered Period, which started in March 2020 and ends April 30, 2023, owners of rental properties may only bring evictions necessary to stop an imminent threat to the health and safety of other occupants. During the Transition Period, from May 1, 2023 through…

At its January 20, 2022 meeting, the Berkeley Rent Board unanimously voted to adopt a land acknowledgement statement. Chair Leah Simon-Weisberg, Commissioner Paola Laverde, and Commissioner Mari Mendonca brought the item, writing: “The acknowledgement requires each community to take institutional time to remember the devastation upon which our cities were established and be consistently reminded…

Ordinance Overview On April 14, 2020, The Berkeley City Council passed the Ronald V. Dellums Fair Chance Access to Housing Ordinance (BMC 13.106). With some exemptions, the Ordinance prohibits rental housing providers in Berkeley from asking about and using criminal history and/or criminal background checks in their…

The Anti-Eviction Mapping Project (AEMP) is a counter-mapping, data analysis, and multimedia storytelling collective that documents and researches displacement struggles and creates tools for tenant resistance across the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and New York City. The Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board (Board) regulates residential rent increases in the City of Berkeley and protects…

With the recent increase in federal immigration enforcement officers in the Bay Area, it is more important than ever that Berkeley tenants and landlords are aware of their rights and the City of Berkeley’s commitments as a Sanctuary City. The City of Berkeley has a long and proud history of defending the rights of immigrants, refugees, and those seeking safety. This is more than a policy; it is a…