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LatestOct. 6 — Council adopted the ordinance 4–3. It is set to take effect Nov. 5 unless a referendum petition suspends it; rent limits begin Jan. 1, 2027, and covered rents stay frozen through Dec. 31. See the timeline→Read the ordinance (PDF)

Santa Barbara rent control: questions and answers

Plain-English answers to the questions people ask most about Santa Barbara's rent control ordinance, formally the Residential Rent Stabilization Ordinance (SBMC Chapter 26.90) and the Residential Rental Registry (Chapter 26.100), adopted October 6, 2026. Answers are drawn from the adopted text, the City's own announcements and state law, with section numbers so you can check them against the ordinance itself. Current as of October 17, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.

Jump to: The basics · Which units are covered · Rent increases · Petitions and the board · The rental registry · Notices and evictions · The referendum and what's next · About this FAQ

The basics

Does Santa Barbara have rent control?

Yes. On October 6, 2026, the City Council adopted a permanent rent control ordinance by a 4–3 vote. It adds two chapters to the Municipal Code: Chapter 26.90, Residential Rent Stabilization, and Chapter 26.100, a citywide Residential Rental Registry. It is scheduled to take effect November 5, 2026, unless a referendum petition suspends it, and its rent limits apply from January 1, 2027. Until then, a temporary rent freeze (Ordinance No. 2026-6206) bars rent increases for covered units.

Is "rent stabilization" the same thing as rent control?

It is a form of rent control. "Rent stabilization" is the City's term; its rules limit rent increases during a tenancy but let the rent reset when a unit is lawfully vacated and re-rented, which is called vacancy decontrol. California's Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act requires cities to allow that reset in most cases. It also exempts most single-family homes and condominiums, and housing that received its certificate of occupancy after February 1, 1995, from local rent limits, which is where the ordinance's 1995 cutoff comes from.

What does the ordinance do?

The ordinance:

  • limits rent increases on covered units, which are mostly apartments built before February 1, 1995, to an annual adjustment of 60% of inflation or 3%, whichever is less, once in any 12 months (§§26.90.030, 26.90.040);
  • measures every increase from a "base rent": the rent in effect on December 16, 2025, or the starting rent of a later tenancy (§26.90.020);
  • lets the rent reset when a unit is lawfully vacated (§26.90.030);
  • lets landlords petition for a fair return or to pass through certain capital improvements, and lets tenants petition for rent reductions (§§26.90.050–.070);
  • creates a seven-member Rent Stabilization Board to hear appeals (§26.90.090); and
  • requires nearly every rental unit in the city, covered or not, to be registered with the City every year, for a fee (Chapter 26.100).

When does Santa Barbara's rent control ordinance take effect?

It is scheduled to take effect November 5, 2026, 30 days after adoption (City Charter §514). A referendum petition signed by at least 10% of the city's registered voters and filed within 30 days of the date the City Clerk attests the ordinance would suspend it; if the signatures are then found insufficient, the ordinance takes effect (see the referendum). The rent limits themselves apply from January 1, 2027. Much of the program is still being built: as of October 17, the City had not issued regulations, set the registry fee, opened the registry or appointed the Rent Stabilization Board. The City says more program information and resources will follow in November 2026.

Is there a rent freeze in Santa Barbara right now?

Yes, for covered units. The temporary moratorium, Ordinance No. 2026-6206, has barred rent increases for covered units since February 26, 2026, and runs through December 31, 2026. Rents stay at their December 16, 2025 level; a rent lawfully raised between December 17, 2025 and February 25, 2026 can stay where it is, but that increase counts against future increases under the permanent ordinance. A cut in housing services without a matching cut in rent counts as an increase. When a unit is lawfully vacated, the owner may still set the starting rent for the next tenancy. The freeze ends December 31 even if a referendum suspends the permanent ordinance. Units outside the local rules may be under the state's cap instead (see units the ordinance doesn't cover).

Does it apply in Goleta, Isla Vista, Montecito or Carpinteria?

No. The ordinance applies only inside the City of Santa Barbara. Goleta and Carpinteria are separate cities, and Isla Vista, Montecito, Hope Ranch, Mission Canyon and the other unincorporated areas are governed by the County. Some properties with a Santa Barbara mailing address are outside city limits, so check the parcel's jurisdiction. The state's rent cap and just-cause eviction law (AB 1482) apply in those areas, subject to their own exemptions, along with any local rules those jurisdictions adopt.

Where can I read the ordinance?

Which units are covered

Which rental units are covered?

Every residential rental unit in the city is covered unless one of three exemptions in §26.90.010, or one of five more in §26.90.015, applies (see the next answer). The three in §26.90.010:

  1. Units whose certificate of occupancy was issued, or final inspection completed, on or after February 1, 1995.
  2. Single-family homes, condominiums and other units that can be sold separately, with two exceptions (see single-family homes and condos).
  3. Units in mobilehome or recreational vehicle parks covered by Chapter 26.08.

Residential units in mixed-use buildings count like any others. A unit can be a rental unit "with or without a valid certificate of occupancy" (§26.90.020), so unpermitted units count too (see ADUs and back cottages). A May consultant estimate, made before the §26.90.015 exemptions were added, put the number of covered units at roughly 13,000.

What else is exempt?

Section 26.90.015 also exempts:

  • Short stays. Rooms in hotels, motels, inns, rooming and boarding houses, and lawfully permitted short-term vacation rentals, for stays of 30 days or fewer. Moving a guest to another room, making them check out and re-register, or stacking short agreements doesn't restart the count.
  • Institutional and treatment housing. Hospitals, convents, monasteries, extended medical care facilities, asylums and nonprofit homes for the aged, plus housing in a facility whose main purpose is a treatment or recovery program, where the housing depends on the client's participation and the client was told in writing at the start that it is temporary.
  • Deed-restricted affordable housing owned, leased, operated or managed by a public agency or a nonprofit.
  • Section 8 units, while the unit is in the program and its contract rent is at or below the payment standard set by the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara.
  • Government units that federal or state law specifically exempts from local rent control.

Exempt units still have to be registered (§26.100.010). The landlord of a unit exempt under §26.90.015, or exempt as a separately sellable home or condo, must give each tenant or prospective tenant written notice of the exemption and its basis.

Are single-family homes and condos covered?

Generally not. Homes and condominiums that can be sold separately are exempt from the rent limits no matter who owns them, in line with state law (Costa-Hawkins). An earlier draft would have covered those owned by corporations and REITs; the adopted text dropped that after the City Attorney's Office warned that including it carried legal risk under Costa-Hawkins. Two exceptions remain: the exemption doesn't apply where the owner ended the previous tenancy with a termination notice or a notice changing its terms (Civil Code §§1946.1 and 827), or to a condominium the developer hasn't yet sold to a buyer. Exempt homes and condos must still be registered, and the owner must give tenants written notice of the exemption. Many are covered by the state's rent cap, AB 1482, including, unless another exemption applies, those owned by a corporation, a REIT or an LLC with a corporate member.

Are duplexes and owner-occupied buildings covered?

Duplexes, yes, if built before February 1, 1995. The June public review draft exempted owner-occupied duplexes, but the adopted ordinance does not, so the rented unit in a duplex where the owner lives in the other unit is covered. The state cap, AB 1482, exempts many owner-occupied duplexes, so this is one place the local rule reaches further. A room rented in an owner's own single-family home or condo is different: it likely falls under the same exemption as the home itself. And units inside an owner-occupied home, where the owner and tenants share common facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom, don't have to be registered (§26.100.010(B)).

Are ADUs and back cottages covered?

An ADU whose certificate of occupancy was issued, or final inspection completed, on or after February 1, 1995 is exempt from the rent limits as new construction (§26.90.010). Two cautions. Read literally, an unpermitted ADU or cottage can't use that exemption, however recently it was built, because it has neither a certificate of occupancy nor a final inspection, and the ordinance counts units "with or without a valid certificate of occupancy" (§26.90.020). And where a lot has two or more dwellings that can't be sold separately, such as a house with a back cottage, the single-family exemption generally doesn't apply, so a rented unit there that was built before February 1, 1995 can be covered even if the other dwelling is newer. Rented ADUs and cottages must be registered either way.

Is student housing covered?

Yes. Privately owned student rentals in the city are covered like any other unit built before February 1, 1995; the council chose not to add a student-housing exemption. The temporary freeze exempted student housing owned by a college or university. Units that a government agency owns or operates are exempt only where state or federal law specifically exempts them from local rent control.

Are Section 8 units covered?

Not while they qualify. A unit is exempt while its landlord participates in the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program and the unit's contract rent is at or below the payment standard adopted by the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (§26.90.015). If the contract rent rises above the payment standard, or the unit leaves the program, the exemption ends.

How can I tell whether my building is covered?

Start with when it was built: the date of its certificate of occupancy or final inspection, from the City's building records. If that's before February 1, 1995, or the unit was never permitted, check whether the unit can be sold separately (a single-family home or condo) and whether any §26.90.015 exemption applies. When the registry opens, owners will state each unit's covered or exempt status under penalty of perjury. A coverage check is part of our free building analysis.

Rent increases

How much can a landlord raise rent in Santa Barbara?

It depends on the unit:

  • Covered units: nothing until January 1, 2027, because a temporary freeze bars increases. Then, if the ordinance is in effect, 2.1% for 2027, less any increase lawfully taken after December 16, 2025, once in any 12 months, with at least 30 days' written notice. If a referendum suspends the ordinance, the freeze still ends December 31, and only the state cap applies, where it applies. But if voters later approve the ordinance, rents would again be measured from the December 16, 2025 base, so an increase taken in the meantime may have to come down.
  • Units the ordinance doesn't cover (built on or after February 1, 1995, most single-family homes and condos, and the other exemptions): up to 8.6% for increases between August 1, 2026 and July 31, 2027, if the state's rent cap (AB 1482) applies to the unit. Units exempt from both have no rent-control cap.
  • New tenancies: when a unit is lawfully vacated, the owner sets the starting rent for the next tenant.

Separately, for month-to-month tenancies, state law requires 30 days' written notice for an increase of 10% or less and 90 days for a larger one (Civil Code §827).

How much can rent go up in Santa Barbara in 2027?

For covered units, 2.1%: the annual general adjustment the City has posted for January 1 through December 31, 2027 (City page, checked October 17, 2026). Any increase lawfully taken after December 16, 2025 counts against it (see What if the rent was raised after December 16, 2025?). It can take effect no earlier than January 1, 2027, if the ordinance is in effect, with at least 30 days' written notice that also tells the tenant about the ordinance (§26.90.030(G)), and only once in any 12 months. No adjustment may be applied to a unit that isn't kept up to state habitability standards, or where the landlord hasn't made repairs ordered by a court or the City's Building Official (§26.90.040(E)). Anything larger requires an approved petition.

How is the annual adjustment calculated?

It equals 60% of the annual change in the California Consumer Price Index (all items, all urban consumers, as published by the state Department of Industrial Relations) or 3%, whichever is less, and it is zero if prices fall (§26.90.040). The change is measured April to April and rounded to the nearest quarter point before the 60% is applied. For 2027, prices rose 3.6% from April 2025 to April 2026; that rounds to 3.5%, and 60% of 3.5% is 2.1%. The result isn't rounded again, which is why the adjustment can land between quarter points, as 2.1% does. The 3% ceiling only matters when inflation runs at about 5% or more. The City must post each year's figure by October 1, and it takes effect January 1.

How often can rent go up, and how much notice is required?

Once in any 12-month period (§26.90.030(E)), with at least 30 days' advance written notice (§26.90.040(D)). Every notice that raises the rent, or that introduces, renews or changes a rental agreement, must also state that the ordinance exists and that no increase takes effect until its requirements are met (§26.90.030(G)). Notices must be in writing, in English and Spanish or another language the landlord knows or should know the tenant understands (§26.90.110(E)). Just delivering a notice for an increase the ordinance doesn't allow is a violation (§26.90.030(F)). From January 1, 2028, no increase can take effect unless the unit is registered.

Can unused increases be saved for later?

No. There's no "banking." Each annual adjustment must take effect by the end of the year it applies to, so the 2.1% must take effect by December 31, 2027, and an adjustment not taken can't be carried to a later year (§26.90.040(C)).

What is "base rent"?

It's the starting point for every allowed increase (§26.90.020). For a tenancy that began on or before December 16, 2025, base rent is the rent in effect on that date, even if a later lease sets a higher figure. For a tenancy that began later, it's the starting rent, set lawfully. The most a landlord can charge is base rent plus the increases the ordinance allows (§26.90.030(A)). A lawful increase taken between December 17, 2025 and February 25, 2026 can stay, but it counts against those increases (see What if the rent was raised after December 16, 2025?).

What if the rent was raised after December 16, 2025?

An increase lawfully taken after December 16, 2025 and before January 1, 2027 counts in full against the ordinance's future increases until those catch up (§26.90.030(D)). For example, a 4% increase taken in January 2026 would absorb the 2.1% adjustment for 2027 and at least part of the next year's. Because the freeze has barred increases for covered units since February 26, 2026, the rule mainly reaches increases taken between December 17, 2025 and February 25, 2026. The City will adopt regulations to apply it.

What happens to the rent when a tenant moves out?

It resets. After a lawful vacancy, the owner may set the starting rent for the new tenancy, "subject only to limitations of California statute" (§26.90.030(C)). That starting rent becomes the new tenancy's base rent, and the annual limit applies from then on. If the vacancy followed a no-fault eviction, the City's Just Cause ordinance limits re-renting: the former tenant has a two-year right of first refusal to rent the unit again, and other conditions apply (§26.50.055).

Can a tenant agree to pay more than the ordinance allows?

No. Rent above the lawful amount is an overcharge, and a tenant can petition to have it refunded or withheld from future rent (§26.90.070(C)). For tenancies that began on or before December 16, 2025, the base rent applies "notwithstanding any provision of any new or amended rental agreement" that tries to set a higher one (§26.90.020).

Does "rent" include utilities, parking, storage and laundry?

Often. The ordinance defines rent as "all periodic payments under a rental housing agreement concerning the use or occupancy of a rental unit, including all payments and other consideration demanded or paid for housing services," and housing services include landlord-provided utilities, parking, storage, laundry facilities, the right to keep pets and more (§26.90.020). So a recurring charge for one of these under the rental agreement is likely rent, and adding one, or cutting a service without lowering the rent, counts as a rent increase. The text isn't fully consistent, though: the fair-return formula sets aside sub-metered utility charges, refuse and sewer charges passed through at cost, laundry and storage charges, and "pet rent" (§26.90.050(G)). Utilities a tenant pays directly to the utility company generally aren't rent, because they aren't paid to the landlord. The City hasn't issued regulations yet, so get advice before adding or changing any charge.

Can landlords still charge security deposits and late fees?

Yes. Refundable security deposits, and avoidable fees such as late-payment and returned-check fees, are excluded from "rent," so the ordinance doesn't cap them (§26.90.020). State law governs security deposits (Civil Code §1950.5).

Will rents keep going up every year?

For a covered unit with the same tenant, rent can rise only by each year's annual adjustment, which is never more than 3% and is zero in a year when prices fall, unless a petition is granted. Landlords don't have to take the adjustment. When a tenant moves out, the rent can reset to market. Units the ordinance doesn't cover are limited only by state law, where it applies, and by the market.

What rent limits apply to units the ordinance doesn't cover?

The state's Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) caps increases on much of the housing the local ordinance doesn't reach. Its cap is 5% plus the change in CPI, or 10%, whichever is lower. Santa Barbara uses the statewide CPI, so the cap is 8.6% for increases between August 1, 2026 and July 31, 2027. AB 1482 exempts, among others, housing issued a certificate of occupancy within the previous 15 years; single-family homes and condos whose owner isn't a corporation, a REIT or an LLC with a corporate member, if tenants were given the required written notice; a duplex where the owner has lived in the other unit since the tenancy began; and deed-restricted affordable housing. It took effect January 1, 2020 and is set to expire January 1, 2030. Units covered by the City's ordinance follow its stricter limit instead.

Petitions and the board

What is a fair-return petition?

It's a landlord's request for a larger increase than the annual adjustment, on the ground that the increase is needed to provide the fair return the state and federal constitutions require (§26.90.050). The ordinance presumes that a fair return means keeping the property's 2025 net operating income growing with 100% of inflation, a standard called maintenance of net operating income (MNOI). If current net operating income falls short of that, the gap is the presumptive adjustment. The landlord must prove the case by a preponderance of the evidence, and the hearing officer may grant or deny based on the full record. Each petition must include a declaration that the units comply with the ordinance and with state habitability law, and units out of compliance can't get an increase. Run the numbers with our calculator, or read how the process works.

What counts as income and expenses in a fair-return petition?

  • Income: rents lawfully collectable at 100% occupancy, plus other income from the units. Income excludes sub-metered utility charges, refuse and sewer charges passed through at cost, laundry, storage and add-on rents such as "pet rent."
  • Expenses that count: reasonable operating, maintenance and management costs; landlord-paid utilities; property taxes on the base-year and current-year assessments; required license and registration fees; documented owner labor, generally up to 5% of gross income; reasonable attorneys' fees for operating the property, but not for the petition; and up to half the registry fee.
  • Expenses that don't count: mortgage principal and interest, depreciation, capital improvements (they have their own petition), land-lease costs, late fees and penalties, political contributions and lobbying, reimbursed costs, utilities the tenant pays directly, costs from unreasonable repair delays, and "unreasonable increases in expenses since the base year."

These rules are in §26.90.050(G). Where a cost must be amortized, an interest allowance at Freddie Mac's 30-year mortgage rate plus 2% may be allowed (§26.90.050(H)).

Can landlords pass through the cost of capital improvements?

Yes, by petition, after first getting an approved capital improvement plan from the City (§§26.90.060, 26.90.100).

  • Eligible work is a closed list of eleven types: a new roof; foundation or seismic upgrades; new plumbing, electrical or HVAC systems; exterior paint, siding or stucco; repairs from a wood-destroying pest report; water- and energy-saving upgrades, including solar, gas-to-electric conversion and dual-glazed windows; accessibility upgrades; fire sprinklers or alarms; stairs and railings; EV chargers; and lead-paint stabilization and abatement.
  • Not eligible: routine maintenance, work done to correct a government notice of violation or repair order, and improvements completed during or before 2025, the base year.
  • The cap: costs are amortized over the improvement's useful life, with interest, but the pass-through can't exceed 10% of the monthly rent or $100 a month, whichever is less. For any unit renting for more than $1,000 a month, the $100 limit is the one that applies.
  • Other limits: the petition must be filed within two years of completion. The charge is itemized separately and isn't built into future increases. It applies only to units that benefit, and not to tenancies that began after the work started. Insurance and other reimbursements come off first. A property can apply for a plan only once every 24 months, with exceptions for disasters and similar events. No pass-through is allowed for units not kept up to state habitability standards, and each petition must declare that they are (§26.90.060(A), (C)).

Can tenants petition for a rent decrease?

Yes, on three grounds (§26.90.070): the landlord's failure to keep the unit habitable; a cut in housing services or maintenance, or deterioration beyond ordinary wear and tear, without a matching cut in rent; and rent above the lawful amount. For the first two, the petition must describe the conditions and how the landlord was given notice and a chance to fix them. If an overcharge is found, the landlord must return it, either within 30 days or, at the tenant's request, by letting the tenant withhold part of the rent until it's recovered. If a 30-day repayment order isn't honored, the tenant may withhold the overcharge from future rent, and a tenant who moves out before full recovery must be paid the balance within two weeks.

How does the petition process work, and how long does it take?

The same procedure covers every petition (§26.90.080):

  1. The City accepts or rejects a petition within 30 days, on completeness only, and notifies all parties within 14 days of accepting it.
  2. An impartial hearing officer holds a hearing within 60 days of acceptance (later if the parties agree), with at least 20 days' notice. Formal rules of evidence don't apply, and the petitioner bears the burden of proof.
  3. The written decision is due within 30 days of the hearing.
  4. Either side may appeal to the Rent Stabilization Board within 30 days. The board takes up the appeal within 30 days and decides within 30 days of its hearing (§26.90.090(D)). A hearing officer's decision isn't paused during an appeal, and if no board exists when an appeal is filed, the hearing officer's decision is final, subject only to review in court.

Landlord petitions may carry a fee set by the council, and they can't be accepted from a landlord who is behind on program or registry fees. A petition on substantially the same grounds as one decided in the previous 180 days won't be accepted. If a fair-return decision takes more than 120 days after a complete petition is accepted, through no fault of the landlord, the landlord can recover the increases a timely decision would have allowed (§26.90.050(I)). Hearing officers are City employees, contract attorneys or retired judges, or a dispute-resolution firm, and their pay can't depend on how they rule (§26.90.130).

What is Santa Barbara's Rent Stabilization Board?

It's a seven-member board, appointed by the City Council, that hears appeals from hearing officers' decisions and adopts regulations for petitions (§26.90.090). At least four members must be tenants of rental housing in the city, including one who is 65 or older, and all members must live in the city. Terms are four years, and granting or denying a petition takes four votes. The City opened a special recruitment for the board in October; applications are due December 2, 2026, at 5 p.m. (City page).

The rental registry

Do I have to register my rental units?

Almost certainly. Every residential rental unit in the city must be registered, covered or not. The only exception is units inside an owner-occupied home where the owner and tenants share common facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom (§26.100.010(B)). The deadlines:

  • Covered units: by the later of April 1, 2027 or 30 days after the City makes the registration form available.
  • All other rental units: by the later of October 1, 2027 or 30 days after the form is available.

One wrinkle: the ordinance defines a "covered rental unit" by reference only to the §26.90.010 exemptions, so units exempt under §26.90.015, such as Section 8 or deed-restricted units, may fall under the April 1 deadline. Until the City clarifies, the earlier date is the safer one. Registration then renews every year. It must be updated within 30 days of a sale (with a notice to tenants), a change of property manager or agent, or re-renting a unit after a vacancy. One form can cover every unit on a property. The registry had not opened as of October 17, 2026.

What does the registry ask for?

For each unit: the address and unit number; bedrooms and bathrooms; names and contact information for the landlord, any representatives and the property manager; the date the landlord took ownership; the current rent; the date and amount of the last increase; the current tenants' move-in date; and whether the unit is exempt. The City can add fields by regulation (§26.100.010(F)). Owners sign under penalty of perjury. The ordinance's list doesn't include tenant names or income and expense statements; financial records come in through fair-return petitions.

How much is the registry fee, and can it be passed on to tenants?

The fee hasn't been set. The City Council will set it by resolution after a fee study that staff told the council on September 22 would be back December 15 (§26.100.020). Every rental unit pays a fee, and for covered units it also funds the rent program. For scale, a May consultant estimate put the program's cost at about $2 million a year, or about $154 per covered unit. In September, staff said that estimate "will increase significantly," projecting 7 to 9 positions and $2.0 million to $2.4 million a year at full implementation, with full cost recovery not expected in the early years. After paying on time, a landlord may pass up to 50% of a unit's fee through to its tenant in 12 equal monthly installments, itemized separately and not counted as rent when calculating any rent increase. No pass-through is allowed to tenants of deed-restricted or subsidized affordable housing, late charges and penalties can't be passed through, and an unpaid balance can't be collected from a tenant who moves out.

What happens if I don't register?

Late filers owe late charges and penalties set by council resolution, and unpaid fees, charges and penalties become a debt to the City (§26.100.020(C)). From January 1, 2028, the consequences grow (§26.100.010(H)). The City may take enforcement action, and a landlord without an accurate registration may not advertise the unit, demand or accept rent, or evict any tenant. No annual adjustment or petition increase can take effect, no landlord petition for a rent increase can be filed, and no no-fault eviction under Chapter 26.50 can begin.

Notices and evictions

What notices do landlords have to give?

  • Covered units. With the written lease offer that Municipal Code §26.40.010 already requires, the landlord must give a written notice that the unit is covered, plus current copies of the ordinance, the City's regulations and any City brochure. These can be provided as a link only if the tenant agrees in writing to receive them online (§26.90.110). This applies to existing tenants who are entitled to a lease offer, too.
  • Exempt units. A unit exempt as a separately sellable home or condo, or under §26.90.015, needs a written notice that it's exempt and why (§§26.90.010(B), 26.90.015(B)).
  • Rent increases and lease changes. Each notice must state that the ordinance exists and that no increase takes effect until its requirements are met (§26.90.030(G)).

All notices must be in writing in English and Spanish or another language the landlord knows or should know the tenant understands. Landlords must keep proof and give it to the City within three days of a written demand.

Does the ordinance change the eviction rules?

Mostly no. Grounds for eviction, notices and relocation payments are set by the City's Just Cause ordinance (SBMC Chapter 26.50) and by state law. The rent ordinance touches evictions in four ways:

  • A tenant can raise the landlord's failure to comply as a complete affirmative defense in an eviction or other suit for rent or possession of a covered unit, and trying to recover a unit in violation of the ordinance exposes the landlord to wrongful-eviction damages and attorneys' fees (§26.90.120(E)).
  • A capital improvement that will temporarily relocate or evict a tenant needs an approved capital improvement plan. Tenants displaced for under 30 days are entitled to $150 per household per day for lodging and $30 per person per day for meals, adjusted yearly for inflation; a tenant may instead decline the payments and owe no rent until moving back. Substantial-remodel evictions must first comply with Chapter 26.50 (§26.90.100).
  • From January 1, 2028, a landlord without an accurate registration may not evict any tenant, and no no-fault eviction under Chapter 26.50 can begin (§26.100.010(H)).
  • A petition order that lets a tenant withhold rent to recover an overcharge is a defense to an eviction based on that withholding (§26.90.070(D)).

Separately, Ordinance No. 2026-6207, adopted the same night as the freeze in January, requires an owner leaving the rental business under the Ellis Act to withdraw every unit on the parcel, and bars residential rental use of the property for five years. Staff has said further Chapter 26.50 amendments will return "later this Fall."

Can an owner move into a unit, or move a relative in?

The rent ordinance doesn't govern owner or relative move-ins. They're no-fault evictions under the City's Just Cause ordinance (Chapter 26.50) and state law, which have their own notice and relocation-payment rules. From January 1, 2028, the unit must be registered before any eviction can begin. Get legal advice first, because mistakes can be costly.

What are the penalties for violating the ordinance?

Violations are punishable under SBMC Chapter 1.28, and the City Attorney may bring civil or criminal actions, seek injunctions and recover costs and fees (§26.90.120). Anyone harmed may sue for damages. A tenant can raise the landlord's noncompliance as a complete affirmative defense in a suit for rent or possession of a covered unit, and the winner of a wrongful-eviction suit recovers attorneys' fees. Tenants can recover overcharges by petition. From January 1, 2028, a landlord can't demand or accept rent for a unit that isn't registered.

The referendum and what's next

Is there a referendum on Santa Barbara's rent control ordinance?

A referendum petition is circulating. Noozhawk reported on October 16, 2026 that the Help Save Santa Barbara Housing Committee's referendum petition, backed by the Santa Barbara Rental Property Association, is gathering signatures to put the ordinance to a public vote (Noozhawk). Under state law (Elections Code §§9237 and 9241), a petition signed by at least 10% of the city's registered voters and filed within 30 days of the date the City Clerk attests the ordinance suspends it. If the signatures prove sufficient, the council must either repeal the ordinance or submit it to voters, at a special election (staff has estimated March 2027) or at the next regular municipal election; if they fall short, the ordinance takes effect. If the ordinance is repealed or rejected by voters, the council can't enact it again for a year. The temporary freeze ends December 31, 2026 either way. Disclosure: Jack Gilbert, who leads SBRSO, serves on the fundraising committee of the Help Save Santa Barbara Housing Committee (details).

What happens next?

  • November 5, 2026: the ordinance is scheduled to take effect, unless a referendum petition suspends it.
  • December 2, 2026: applications are due for the Rent Stabilization Board.
  • December 15, 2026: the registry fee study is due back, per staff.
  • December 31, 2026: the temporary freeze ends.
  • January 1, 2027: if the ordinance is in effect, rent limits apply and the 2.1% adjustment becomes available with 30 days' written notice.
  • April 1, 2027: registration deadline for covered units (possibly including units exempt under §26.90.015; see the registry answer), or 30 days after the form is available if that's later.
  • October 1, 2027: registration deadline for all other rental units, with the same proviso. The City also posts the 2028 adjustment by this date.
  • January 1, 2028: registry enforcement begins.

Along the way the City has to hire staff, write regulations, set the fee and build the registry. Our timeline tracks each step.

Where can I get official information or help?

About this FAQ

Who publishes SBRSO?

SBRSO, the Santa Barbara Rent Stabilization Observatory, is an independent research project led by Jack Gilbert (DRE 02197493) of the Golis Team at Radius Commercial Real Estate (DRE 01334755), which funds it, working with Steve Golis (DRE 00772218) and Aneta Jensen (DRE 01994822). Radius is a brokerage that represents owners of multifamily property in the Santa Barbara area. Our About page has the full disclosure, methodology and corrections policy.

No. This page is general information, current as of October 17, 2026, summarizing the ordinance as adopted. The City's regulations, once issued, will add detail. Talk to an attorney before serving a notice, filing a petition or starting an eviction. If you spot an error, our corrections policy explains how we fix it.