Oakland

city of oakland

Oakland Rent Adjustment Program (RAP)
Oakland's Rent Adjustment Program (RAP) is the city department that implements the rent ordinance, manages disputes and other rental housing matters. Rental property owners must comply with the Oakland rent ordinance, including payment of mandatory annual RAP fees, petitioning for rent increases when they exceed the annual allowable increase, and more. Click on the links below to learn more.

Rent Board Contact Information and Hours

250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Suite 5313, Oakland, CA 94612
Located on 6th Floor in the Housing Resource Center, Suite 6301
Phone Number: (510) 238-3721 | Fax Number: (510) 238-6181
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 am to 5pm: Calls are generally limited to 10 minutes
Drop-in hours:
- Mon & Wed from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon
- Tues & Thurs from 10:00am to 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
- No Drop in Services on Fridays
- Visits are generally limited to 10 minutes

Rental Housing Ordinances & Information

City of Oakland Resources

Other Oakland Resources

New legislation passed in 2018
Measure AA – Parcel Tax – A 1 Billion Dollar Tax Increase:
Oakland City Council voted to pass this measure even though Oakland voters overwhelming rejected it. Stay tuned for updates.

One of the largest parcel tax proposals in Oakland’s history ($198 per home and $135.25 per unit per year)
$30,000,000 a year for 30 years will be distributed to organizations without accountability or a track record of success
Homeowners are already paying for 6 separate parcel tax measures to support schools
No guarantee the funds will be used for the stated purpose
No public oversight and no program in place

Click here to read the Ordinance

PASSED: Measure Y – Remove Protections for Small Property Owners: EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 21, 2018

Removes 2 and 3-unit owner-occupied exemption from Just Cause ordinance (Measure EE)
Subjects owners to expensive legal battles just to have peace at home
Pushes owners to remove properties from rental market, shrinking housing supply
Grants city council new authority to add eviction defenses, making it harder for owners to keep control of properties

Click here to read the Ordinance

PASSED: Measure W – Vacant Property Tax – A $200,000,000 Tax Increase: *

Imposes a parcel tax for properties in use less than 50 days during a calendar year
Residential homes: $6,000 per parcel
Non-residential & Undeveloped: $6,000 per parcel
Condominium or duplex: $3,000 per vacant unit
Parcel with ground floor commercial: $3,000 per parcel

* The first billing for Oakland Property owners with properties deemed to be vacant in 2019 will be included in the first Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Secured Property Tax Bill.
Click here to read the Ordinance

2017 Ordinance Changes
The following changes to the Oakland Rent Ordinance were passed September 30, 2017:

Capital improvements will no longer be based on 5 years, but rather “useful life”. Additionally, imputed financing costs will be allowed in a schedule, to be determined by the Rent Board. All other capital improvement restrictions remain in place.
Extend waiting period for exemption from rent control for 2-3 unit owner-occupied buildings from 1 year to 2 years
Renters will have 90/120 days, rather than 60 days, to contest rent increases depending on if a RAP notice has been served or not
Language translation services will be provided by the Rent Board to all persons who request it

Click here to read the Ordinance

Measure JJ: Renter’s Upgrade Act – Approved with Majority Vote

Pre-petition for all increases above the annual allowable increase (CPI, currently 2%)
No pre-petitioning needed for banking
Just Cause will now include properties built before December 31,1995 (currently set at 1980)
More power given to the Oakland Rent Board
Substantial rehabilitation has much more restrictive requirements
This measure is effective February 1, 2017

Measure KK: Infrastructure Bond – Approved with More Than 2/3 Vote
Measure KK is an infrastructure bond, that will last 30 years and tax residents $70 per every $100,000 of assessed property value. This increase includes commercial, multi-unit and single-family dwellings and cannot be passed through to renters. For an average property value of $900,000, that means another $630 per year for 30 years. The City can pay staff salaries with this money. Bond proceeds can be given as loans or grants to nonprofits, corporations, and other government agencies.What is not spent in 10 years can be reallocated with a simple council resolution. This is effective next tax bill.

Tenant Protection Ordinance
The Tenant Protection Ordinance (“TPO”) provides tenants legal recourse if they are harassed by their property owner.

The TPO is meant to deter harassment by property owners. The TPO provides civil remedies for violations. Definitions of
what is considered harassment can be found here.

The TPO requires owners to post a notice of the TPO in rental units located in a building with an interior common area. The
notice must be placed in at least one such common area in the building using the form prescribed by the City Staff.
Click here to download the notice.

Before a Tenant may file a violation of the TPO, the Tenant must first notify the Owner of the problem. The tenant must allow
fifteen (15) days for the owner to correct the problem. The owner can notify the tenant that the repairs will take more than
fifteen (15) days. In this case, the owner must provide a reasonable time period for completion. If the repair takes more than
fifteen (15) days, the tenant may file if the owner does not take steps to start addressing the problem. The tenant may also
file if the owner does not follow through to complete the repairs with reasonable diligence.

Business License
All Oakland rental property owners must obtain and pay for a rental business license.

With your initial application, you are required to pay a non-refundable registration fee of $91.
Business Tax must be paid ANNUALLY , no later than March 1st of each year.
It is the taxpayer's responsibility to renew the business tax on time .
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE BUSINESS TAX ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS IS A MISDEMEANOR VIOLATION. A NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND/OR CITATION MAY BE ISSUED. A LIEN IS FILED ON RENTAL PROPERTY.

Apply for a Business License In Person, By Mail or Online
CITY OF OAKLAND
FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT AGENCY
BUSINESS TAX OFFICE
250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 1320
Oakland, CA 94612

Office hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Phone: (510) 238-3704

Apply for an Oakland Business License Online

Legal/Permitted Units
Legal units must have a Certificate of Occupancy, which is a document that certifies that a residential building complies with all state and local building codes and is safe to live in. If you don't know if your unit is up to code:

Hire a contractor to inspect the property and/or
Contact the Oakland Planning and Building Department

Petition for Capital Improvements
Capital Improvement Petition Form
Questions? (510) 238-3721

Oakland City Council Meetings
Click here to see agendas and watch meetings

Zero Waste
Zero WasteOakland multifamily properties with five or more units are required to provide recycling and composting collection service to their tenants. The Oakland Recycles Zero Waste contracts* provides all the services you need to comply with Alameda County’s Mandatory Recycling Ordinance (MRO) and the State of California’s Mandatory Commercial Recycling law. Effective January 1, 2017, the MRO notification/penalty phase for composting goes into effect. Now is the time to get your composting program in place with help from Waste Management of Alameda County, Inc.

The MRO penalty phase for recycling has been in effect since 2012.
To request recycling assistance, contact California Waste Solutions at (510) 625-5263.

*Oakland Municipal Code requires property managers to provide residents access to all franchised collection services. (OMC 8.28.140.D)

See our Zero Waste page for more information.