One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
The amount LA landlords can raise your rent goes down slightly in August
A residential building in L.A. Many tenants in the region are subject to a max 8.9% rent increase starting Aug. 1.
(
Daniel Hanscom
/
Getty Images/iStockphoto
)
Topline:
Allowable rent increases in Southern California will tick downward tomorrow under a state law that covers many local tenants.
The details: Starting Friday, the ceiling on annual rent hikes under the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 will be 8% across the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area. That’s a slight decline from the 8.9% limit that has been in effect since Aug. 1, 2024.
How the limits work: The state law, also known as AB 1482, covers renters living in apartments constructed more than 15 years ago. Newer properties are not covered. Neither are single-family homes and condos, unless they’re owned by a corporate entity.
The context: The law is also trumped by local rent control laws, which tend to impose tougher limits. For example, current rent control limits in the city of L.A. range between 3% and 5%. Other cities in the region with limits below the state law’s cap include Santa Monica, Pasadena and Santa Ana.
Why now? The statewide caps reset in August of each year, and they’re determined by recent regional inflation data. April’s consumer price index for the L.A. area rose by 3%. The California law allows landlords to tack on an extra 5% to that figure, bringing the new limit to 8%. Inflation was running higher last year, which is why state law previously allowed increases of up to 8.9%.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
