Oakland announces potential rent increases starting July 1

( KRON ) — Oakland City Council’s emergency rent moratorium, adopted in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, will end on Sunday, the city announced.

From March 8, 2020, to June 30, Oakland’s emergency moratorium prohibited rent increases above the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI). Rent Adjustment Programs ( RAP ) - such as those based on uninsured repairs or increased housing services - were also prohibited.

Starting July 1, “rent increases exceeding the annual CPI increase can resume,” the city wrote. According to the city, from August 1 this year to July 31 next year, the annual CPI rate is 2.3%. The maximum annual rent increase allowed without a RAP petition is 6.9%.

Renters can find a list of past CPI rates here . For information on allowable rent increases starting July 1, visit the RAP website here or get RAP counseling help by emailing them.

Aside from rent increases, the emergency moratorium also helped prevent evictions. Between March 2020 and July 14, 2023, tenants could prevent unpaid rent evictions by proving financial hardship endured during the pandemic.

Renters are encouraged to visit Oakland’s Rent Registry , an online database created by the city. Property owners of rental units covered under the rent adjustment ordinance cannot increase rents if the unit is not registered, the city said.

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