In June 1980, Berkeley residents passed the City's first comprehensive rent stabilization law. Its stated purpose is to maintain affordable and quality housing, to preserve the ethnic diversity of the City, and to provide increased protection against eviction.
Most residential rental units in Berkeley are covered by the law. The exceptions apply primarily to units rented under Federal programs or owned by non-profit accredited institutions of higher learning. Owners of rental property covered by the Ordinance are required to register their units by submitting a completed Initial Registration Statement which lists the rental history of the unit and paying an annual registration fee. The registration fees cover the cost of implementing the Ordinance.