Rent Registration In Oakland – Information and FAQs

Click here to read the ordinance amendment.

On June 21, 2022, the Oakland City Council voted to approve the establishment of a rent registry in Oakland. The new law requires that owners of residential rental units subject to the Rent Program Fee provide tenancy information for each covered unit on an annual basis.

Rental property owners will be required to register their units’ rents with RAP for the first time by July 1, 2023. They will then be required to either update or confirm their units’ rent data annually by March 1.

Owners who do not meet this new requirement will not be able to file petitions for rent increases or give rent increases, nor will they be able to answer tenants’ petitions. Furthermore, the new law establishes failure to register as an affirmative defense in most eviction actions.

All residential rental units subject to the Rent Program Fee will need to be registered by the owner of the property. This includes units that are subject to the Rent Adjustment Ordinance AND/OR units that are subject to the Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance.

Units that are exempt from BOTH ordinances will not have to be registered. Exempt units include:

• Newly constructed units built entirely from the ground up after December 31, 1995 and are not a result of a conversion or prior residential use (Please provide either (a) Certificate of Occupancy issued after December 31, 1995, or (b) a Certificate of Exemption issued by RAP after December 31, 1995.)

• Fully owner-occupied units, including single family homes
• Hospitals, skilled nursing, or health facilities
• Non-profits or substance abuse recovery facilities
• Non-profits to support the homeless

For more information on which units are subject to the Rent Program Fee, click here.

Owners of covered units will be contacted by RAP in Spring of 2023 with instructions on how register their property using the online rent registry. It is expected that owners will be able to register their units starting in May 2023, with a deadline of July 1. It is strongly recommended that owners register their properties online; however paper registration forms will be provided upon request.

In the meantime, owners should be prepared to provide, to the best of their knowledge and ability, the following information for each unit that is subject to the Rent Program Fee:

• Unit Number/Designation (i.e., #A, #1/2, #4A, etc.)
• Start Date of current tenancy
• Initial Rent of current tenancy
• Current Rent
• Date of last rent increase
• Amount of last rent increase
• Number of occupants at start of tenancy
• Tenant Name(s)
• Tenant Email (at least one)
• Services included with the rent (i.e., utilities, laundry access, parking, etc.)
• Reason that previous tenant vacated (i.e., voluntary vacancy, eviction for just cause, etc.)

It is expected that owners will be able to start registering their units in May 2023. Owners will receive instructions via U.S. mail on how to register their units in anticipation of the July 1, 2023 deadline.

An owner will be unable to file a petition for rent increase, give rent increases, or answer a tenant’s petition if they have not registered their unit(s) by the July 1, 2023 deadline or otherwise substantially comply with the registration requirement. Furthermore, failure to register will be an affirmative defense in an eviction action.

It is the responsibility of the property owner to register your rental unit if it is covered by the Rent Ordinance and/or the Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance.

After the owner of your rental unit registers your tenancy data in 2023, you will be notified of the information that the owner has reported to RAP regarding your tenancy. If you disagree with any of the information that has been reported, you can contact RAP.

A rent registry provides a number of benefits. One of the most important ones is that it helps both owners and tenants understand better whether or not their rents are in compliance with Oakland’s Rent Adjustment Ordinance. Owners will be able to more easily calculate rent increases, and tenants can verify them.

Property owners will have access to all tenancy data for the buildings they own/manage. Tenants will have access to their own unit’s tenancy data.

Note: Personal, identifying information such as tenants’ names and email addresses will NOT be publicly accessible through the rent registry.

Attend a workshop! RAP will hold workshops in 2023 to help property owners understand the new law and requirements and to provide assistance on the registration process. Our Workshop schedule is available here.

Sign up for RAP’s email list here! You will receive updates and workshop notifications from RAP.

Contact a RAP Housing Counselor! For more information, you can contact a RAP housing counselor by telephone at (510) 238-3721, or via email at RAP@oaklandca.gov.