Tenant rights · San Diego, San Diego County
The City of San Diego has no general rent control, but its Residential Tenant Protections Ordinance, in effect since June 2023, requires a just cause to end most tenancies and adds relocation assistance for no-fault evictions. Tenant First connects you with an independent California-licensed attorney who can review your notice.
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What is local in San Diego
The ordinance (San Diego Municipal Code §§ 98.0701 to 98.0709) took effect on June 24, 2023. It requires an at-fault or no-fault just cause to end a covered tenancy, without the 12-month waiting period of state law, and requires relocation assistance for no-fault terminations: two months of actual rent, or three months for tenants who are 62 or older or disabled.
Official source ↗Legal Aid publishes a plain-language summary of the ordinance, including its exemptions, and offers free help to eligible tenants.
Official source ↗The court's landlord-tenant pages explain unlawful detainer cases and link to the tenant answer forms. Low-income tenants with a case in the Central Division may qualify for free representation through the court's Shriver program.
Official source ↗Because the City of San Diego has no local rent control, rent increases for covered units are limited by the statewide cap in Civil Code § 1947.12, while some housing is exempt. The local ordinance focuses on evictions: it lists the just causes, sets notice requirements and requires landlords to give tenants written notice of the ordinance. Cities elsewhere in San Diego County, such as Chula Vista or Oceanside, are not covered by the City of San Diego ordinance and may have their own rules.
The ordinance allows no-fault terminations for reasons such as an owner move-in, withdrawal from the rental market or a substantial remodel. A remodel must be more than cosmetic, and the work must require you to leave for at least 30 days. If you receive a no-fault notice, check whether it states the reason and the relocation assistance, and get advice before the termination date. A buyout offer under the ordinance must be for more than the relocation assistance you would be owed, and a buyout for less is void.
The San Diego Housing Commission publishes the Tenant Protection Guide that landlords must provide under the ordinance, and the Legal Aid Society of San Diego explains how the ordinance applies to specific situations. If you are served with an unlawful detainer, the court's landlord-tenant pages link to the answer packet and explain fees and fee waivers. Do not wait for a hearing date to look for help: the deadline to file a response is short and runs from the date of service.
Local information as of October 2026. Court locations, hours and local rules change; check the official source before you go.
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Who is behind Tenant First
Tenant First is part of Omnilex. Leon leads Omnilex’s US business from San Francisco. He is a California attorney and spent about twelve years at Goodwin and Kirkland & Ellis before joining Omnilex.
Leon does not take on the individual matters that come through this site. Your matter is handled by the independent California attorney you choose to engage, who works in landlord-tenant law.
You may still be wondering …
The City of San Diego has no general local rent control. For many units, the statewide cap on rent increases applies instead.
Possibly. Unlike state law, the city ordinance does not wait for 12 months of tenancy, though some housing and short leases are exempt. An attorney can check your situation.
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