Expanding Communications Channels to Empower Berkeley Tenants & LandlordsThe Berkeley Rent Board is expanding its outreach efforts to reach more Berkeley tenants and landlords through digital channels. The Rent Board has launched four new official social media accounts (Instagram,…
In November 2024, Berkeley voters passed Measure BB, which, amongst other things, amended the Rent Ordinance to provide tenants an enforceable right to form Tenant Associations on certain properties. At their September 2025 meeting, the Rent Board adopted updates to several regulations impacting this new right:
- Tenant Associations may now seek rent…
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…