Los Angeles Rent Control (2026): RSO Map, 3% Cap & Covered Units

The 2026 RSO Rent Increase: 3%, Under a New Formula

For RSO-covered units, the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) sets the allowable annual increase each July. The number for July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 is 3%.

The formula behind that number changed in December 2025, when the City Council rewrote the RSO increase calculation. Under the new rules:

• The annual increase equals 90% of the Consumer Price Index (down from 100%), with a hard floor of 1% and ceiling of 4%.
• Effective February 2, 2026, landlords may no longer add an extra percentage for paying the tenant’s gas or electric (the old utility add-on is abolished).
• The old +10% for an additional dependent joining the household is also abolished.

One increase per 12 months, with 30 days’ written notice (90 days if the increase exceeds 10%, which the RSO cap now makes impossible for covered units). Always confirm the current percentage at LAHD (housing.lacity.gov) before serving a notice.

Which Units the RSO Covers, and Which It Does Not

RSO coverage follows the building, not the neighborhood. A unit is generally covered when all three are true:

• It is inside the City of Los Angeles limits (not Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Glendale, or unincorporated county area — each has its own rules);
• The property has two or more dwelling units on the lot (plus most condos rented out, mobile homes, and some other categories the ordinance names); and
• The building received its certificate of occupancy on or before October 1, 1978.

Units outside the RSO are not unregulated: most fall under California’s statewide AB 1482 cap (5% + regional CPI, max 10%, buildings 15+ years old) covered in our California rent control guide. Newer construction (under 15 years) and properly-noticed single-family homes owned by individuals are exempt from both.

The “Rent Control Map” Question: How to Check an Address

There is no ZIP-code or neighborhood map of LA rent control, because coverage is parcel-by-parcel: two buildings on the same street can differ based on their construction dates. Three lookup paths:

• ZIMAS (zimas.lacity.org) — the City’s official parcel tool. Enter the address, open the Housing tab, and read the “Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO)” line. This is the authoritative answer.
• LAHD (housing.lacity.gov) — publishes the current allowable increase and RSO guidance, and runs the rent registry.
• Our interactive map — for the market context around any LA address: tenant-protection scoring, eviction-risk history, and rent data for every neighborhood and census tract. Start at the interactive eviction risk map or the Los Angeles city profile, then drill into any neighborhood. RSO housing stock concentrates where pre-1978 multifamily density is highest — Koreatown, Westlake, Hollywood, and the central core.

Outside the City Limits: County and Neighboring-City Rules

“Los Angeles” addresses often sit outside the City of LA, where the RSO does not apply:

• Unincorporated LA County runs its own rent stabilization program for covered units — check the county’s Department of Consumer & Business Affairs for the current cap.
• Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and Beverly Hills each run separate, older rent-control ordinances with their own boards and annual adjustments.
• Everywhere else in the county, AB 1482 is the backstop for buildings 15+ years old.

Compare cities side-by-side on our rent-control cities list, run the numbers with the California rent increase calculator, or zoom out to the national picture in the rent control guide for all 50 states.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can my landlord raise rent in Los Angeles in 2026?

For units covered by the City of Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO), the allowable annual increase is 3% for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Under the formula adopted in December 2025, the annual increase equals 90% of the Consumer Price Index, with a floor of 1% and a ceiling of 4%, and landlords may no longer add extra percentage points for utilities or an additional dependent. Units not covered by the RSO may instead fall under California's statewide AB 1482 cap (5% plus regional CPI, maximum 10%), and some units, like newer construction, are exempt from both.

Which Los Angeles units are covered by the RSO?

The RSO generally covers rental units in the City of Los Angeles in buildings of two or more units that received their certificate of occupancy on or before October 1, 1978. Newer buildings, most single-family homes, and units outside the city limits (in other cities or unincorporated LA County) are not covered by the City RSO, though they may be covered by AB 1482, the LA County rent stabilization rules, or another city's ordinance (Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and others run their own).

How do I check if a specific address is rent-controlled in LA?

Use the City's official ZIMAS parcel tool (zimas.lacity.org): enter the address and check the Housing tab for "Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO): Yes/No." The Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD, housing.lacity.gov) also offers coverage look-ups and publishes the current allowable increase. Rent control in LA is parcel-by-parcel, not ZIP-code-by-ZIP-code, so two buildings on the same block can have different status depending on their construction date.

Is there a map of rent-controlled areas in Los Angeles?

Not by neighborhood boundaries, because RSO coverage follows each building's age and unit count rather than geography. The closest official tool is the parcel-level ZIMAS map. For market context, our interactive eviction-risk map covers every LA neighborhood and census tract, and pre-1978 multifamily density (where RSO units concentrate) is highest in central neighborhoods like Koreatown, Hollywood, and Westlake.

Informational only, not legal advice. RSO percentages and coverage rules change; verify against LAHD (housing.lacity.gov) and ZIMAS before acting on any figure here.