Secures rent control protections for former military housing
The City of Alameda’s Rent Program [1] has released its 2025 Annual Report [2], detailing a year of historic milestones, landmark legal victories, and record-breaking financial recoveries for local renters. Now in its third year as a division of the City Attorney’s Office, the program has seen its strongest outcomes to date in enforcement, compliance, and public service.
The annual report details Rent Program activities during 2025 and presents data on cases, submissions, registration, and Alameda’s rental market.
[3]In 2025, the Rent Program oversaw the reimbursement of more than $500,000 to 212 tenant households affected by invalid rent increases — more than triple the amount of any previous year. This achievement was driven by the implementation of Regulation 25-01, which established an updated framework for correcting invalid rent increases, and the addition of a full-time staff person focused on registration compliance.
“I am incredibly proud of the work done by the Rent Program team,” Program Director Bill Chapin said. “This is an experienced, dedicated staff that responded to more than 9,000 inquiries from the public last year. A majority of those calls and emails came from landlords, a clear sign that the Rent Program serves as a vital resource helping property owners navigate local laws and maintain compliance.”
August 2025 marked a pivotal moment for California housing law, when the City of Alameda prevailed at the California Court of Appeal [4], securing full rent control protections for 150 units at Admirals Cove. This victory established a statewide precedent for applying rent control to former institutional housing converted for residential use.
Other 2025 Rent Program highlights included:
- More than 13,100 tenant-occupied units registered in the Alameda Rent Registry.
- 726 rent-subsidized units verified eligible for annual fee waivers.
- 25 tenant rent adjustment petitions filed, resulting in more than $76,500 in retroactive reimbursements to tenants based on grounds such as a reduction in housing services or substantial deterioration of the rental unit.
- Emergency relocation assistance totaling $15,225 provided to seven displaced tenants.
- Staff responded to an average of 775 public inquiries per month, sent more than 9,000 annual information letters to landlords and tenants, and hosted 24 informational workshops.
During the 2025 registration process, more than 51% of rent-controlled units had tenancy information updated. As a reminder, landlords of fully regulated units are required to submit an annual registration statement and pay an annual program fee. Landlords who fail to do so are not eligible to increase rent for any unit on the property in question.
Landlords and/or tenants with questions regarding compliance or property status are encouraged to contact staff by phone at 510-747-7520 or email at [email protected] [5].