Mountain View, CA — landlord and rental rules

5 rules across 4 topics, including the county and state rules that bind here. Last verified 2026-08-18.

Rent controlVacancy decontrolJust-cause evictionOther

Rent control

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Mountain View stabilizes qualifying buildings with three or more units
Mountain Viewhigh confidence

Verified on 2026-08-18 — 42 days ago.

Mountain View's Community Stabilization and Fair Rent Act limits annual increases for qualifying pre-1995 rental property with three or more units; 1995 through 23 December 2016 stock receives eviction protections without the rent ceiling, later stock is exempt, and duplexes are exempt from rent stabilization.

The local rent ceiling starts at three units and requires construction before 1995; duplexes are exempt.

A year-only 1995 record cannot establish which side of the programme's construction-date boundary applies. Check the exact construction or rental date, unit type, petition history and current annual general adjustment with the city.

Exemptions

  • Buildings first offered for rent from 1995 through 23 December 2016 receive eviction protections but not the rent ceiling.
  • Buildings first offered for rent after 23 December 2016 are exempt from the local rent-stabilization and eviction-protection portions.
Unit counts
3+ units
Construction
Built before 1996
AB 1482 caps increases at 5% plus CPI, to a 10% ceiling
Californiamedium confidence

Verified on 2026-08-01 — 59 days ago.

The Tenant Protection Act caps annual rent increases at 5% plus CPI, with a hard ceiling of 10%, on housing built more than 15 years ago.

The 15-year window rolls forward, so a building drifts into coverage with age rather than being fixed by its construction date at purchase.

Annual cap
10%
Construction
Built before 2011

In effect since 2020-01-01.

Sources

  • California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482) — Cal. Civ. Code §1946.2, §1947.12

Vacancy decontrol

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Costa-Hawkins preserves vacancy decontrol
Californiamedium confidence

Verified on 2026-08-01 — 59 days ago.

Costa-Hawkins exempts post-1995 construction and single-family homes and condominiums from *local* rent control, and preserves the landlord's right to reset rent to market on vacancy.

It does not help at the affordable end, because affordable stock is old stock: the buildings a small investor can actually buy are usually the ones Costa-Hawkins does not exempt.

Vacancy decontrol
Yes — rent resets on vacancy
Construction
Built after 1995

Sources

  • Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act — Cal. Civ. Code §1954.50 et seq.

Just-cause eviction

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Mountain View retains eviction protection beyond its rent-cap inventory
Mountain Viewhigh confidence

Verified on 2026-08-18 — 42 days ago.

Mountain View's Community Stabilization and Fair Rent Act protects qualifying apartment tenancies in buildings first offered for rent through 23 December 2016, including 1995–2016 stock that is not subject to the local rent ceiling.

The local apartment protections begin at three units; duplexes are exempt.

A year-only 2016 record cannot resolve the December boundary. Confirm the exact first-rental or construction date and tenancy status with the city.

Exemptions

  • Buildings first offered for rent after 23 December 2016 and other programme-specific classes are exempt.
Unit counts
3+ units
Construction
Built before 2017

Other

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Insurance is a live underwriting problem, not a line item
Californiamedium confidence

Verified on 2026-08-01 — 59 days ago.

FAIR Plan policies are up 139% since 2021, habitability claims are now commonly excluded, and earthquake cover is excluded from every standard policy.

Get a bindable quote before removing contingencies. An insurance assumption carried over from another state is the single largest silent error in a California pro forma.

Fair plan increase since2021
139%