2025/2026 Allowable Rent Increases in San Francisco (Updated)

Understanding Rent Control in San Francisco

Rent control restricts the amount a landlord may increase rents. The amount that it may be increased changes from year to year.

 

Navigating San Francisco's rental landscape involves a keen awareness of its Rent Control Ordinance, particularly for owners of multi-family properties constructed prior to June 13, 1979. Here are the allowable annual rent increase percentages in San Francisco for successive years.

SF Allowable Annual Rent Increase

For multi-family properties constructed before June 13, 1979, that are subject to San Francisco's Rent Control Ordinance, annual rent increases are tightly regulated. These properties can experience an annual rent increase equivalent to 60% of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) growth. Every middle of November, the San Francisco Rent Board discloses the preceding 12 months' CPI change, sourced from the U.S. Department of Labor, and thus releases the allowable rent increase for the following year. The following annual allowable increase percentages have been effective:

  • March 1, 2025 - February 28, 2026: 1.4%

  • March 1, 2024 - February 28, 2025: 1.7%

  • March 1, 2023 - February 29, 2024: 3.6%

  • March 1, 2022 - February 28, 2023: 2.3%

  • March 1, 2021 - February 28, 2022: 0.7%

  • March 1, 2020 - February 28, 2021: 1.8%

California Rent Control - AB 1482

For covered rental units in California, defined as those built prior to January 1, 2005, the allowable increase is capped at 5% plus the local rate of inflation or 10%, whichever is lower. San Francisco’s rent control regulations supercede California’s regulations for properties built before June 13, 1979.

There are exemptions for certain properties from the State of California’s rent control regulations. 

These include: 

  • Most single-family homes and condominiums

  • Buildings built within the last 15 years 

  • Single-family owner-occupied homes where the owner rents no more than two units or bedrooms 

However, these properties are only exempt if they are not owned by:

  • A real estate trust

  • A corporation

  • An LLC with at least one corporate member 

The owner must also disclose in the lease that the unit is not subject to rent limits. 

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Sources

  • https://www.sf.gov/news/annual-rent-increase-3125-22826-announced

  • https://sf.gov/information/learn-about-rent-increases

  • https://caanet.org/topics/ab-1482/

 

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