If you own rental property in Pasadena, you are operating under one of the strictest rent laws in Los Angeles County, and it is written into the city charter. Pasadena rent control comes from Measure H, the Fair and Equitable Housing Charter Amendment voters approved in November 2022, and a charter amendment is far harder to loosen than an ordinary ordinance. Borna Houman Law advises Pasadena property owners on the Measure H rent cap, unit registration, just cause eviction, and the fair-return petition that lets an owner exceed the annual cap when the math justifies it.
Key Takeaway: Pasadena’s Measure H caps annual rent increases on covered units at the Annual General Adjustment, set at 2.25 percent for October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, and pegs every unit’s base rent to the amount charged on May 17, 2021. Covered owners get one increase every 12 months and must register each unit with the city.
Which Pasadena properties are covered by Measure H?
Measure H covers multi-unit residential rental property built on or before February 1, 1995, which includes most Pasadena apartments and duplexes. Newer construction is exempt from the local cap, and single-family homes and condominiums are generally exempt under the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. Government-subsidized housing, dormitories, and licensed care facilities are also outside the ordinance.
The build-date line is the first thing to confirm, and it is not always what the owner assumes. In our experience advising owners along the 210 corridor, a building that was substantially remodeled still keeps its original certificate of occupancy date for coverage purposes, so a 1970s building that looks new is fully covered. Confirm the certificate of occupancy before you treat a unit as exempt.
| Property type | Pasadena Measure H | Statewide cap (AB 1482) |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-unit built on or before Feb 1, 1995 | Covered | Superseded by stricter local rule |
| Multi-unit built after Feb 1, 1995 | Exempt from local cap | May apply (over 15 years old) |
| Single-family home or condo (individual owner) | Exempt (Costa-Hawkins) | Exempt with proper notice |
| Single-family home (corporate owner) | Exempt from local cap | Covered by AB 1482 |
How much can a Pasadena landlord raise the rent?
A covered Pasadena unit can be raised once every 12 months by the Annual General Adjustment, which the Pasadena Rental Housing Board sets each year at 75 percent of the change in the regional Consumer Price Index. For the period of October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, the AGA is 2.25 percent. The prior year it was 3.0 percent, so the allowable number moves every year and must be confirmed before any notice goes out.
Measure H also rolled base rents back to what was charged on May 17, 2021, and every allowable increase compounds from that base, not from a later number. An owner who raised rent after May 2021 without authority may be sitting on an unlawful base rent, which quietly caps every future increase and can trigger a refund demand. Serving an increase above the AGA is void and gives the tenant a defense.
| Adjustment period | Pasadena AGA |
|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026 | 2.25% |
| Oct 1, 2024 – Sep 30, 2025 | 3.0% |
| Formula under Measure H | 75% of regional CPI change |
| Base rent date | Rent in effect May 17, 2021 |
Can a Pasadena landlord petition to raise rent above the AGA?
Yes. This is the part of Measure H most owners overlook. When the Annual General Adjustment does not let you earn a fair return on the property, Measure H allows you to file an individual rent adjustment petition with the Pasadena Rental Housing Board for an upward increase above the AGA. The petition is decided by a hearing officer on evidence of your costs and net operating income.
The fair-return petition is the pressure valve that keeps the ordinance constitutional, because a rent law that guaranteed a loss would be an unconstitutional taking. In practice, the owners who win these petitions are the ones who document capital improvements, rising operating costs, and a genuine shortfall with clean books. The most common mistake we see is an owner absorbing years of below-cost rent without ever filing, when the petition was available the whole time.
Do Pasadena landlords have to register their rental units?
Yes. Pasadena requires owners to register covered units with the Rent Stabilization Department and pay an annual rental housing fee, set at 238 dollars per unit for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Registration and fee payment are preconditions to raising rent, and an owner who is not current cannot lawfully increase rent on the unit.
The registry is not a passive filing cabinet. It records each unit’s lawful base rent, so the city can flag an increase that exceeds the recorded number, and a registration gap can be raised as a defense to an unlawful detainer. Register, pay, and keep the record accurate before you serve anything. For a portfolio that also touches the Westside, compare this with our Culver City rent control guide, because each city runs its own registry and its own fee.
What are the just cause grounds and relocation rules in Pasadena?
Measure H requires just cause to end a covered tenancy, split into at-fault and no-fault grounds. At-fault grounds include nonpayment of rent, an uncured lease violation, and nuisance. No-fault grounds include owner or family move-in, withdrawal of the property under the Ellis Act, a government order, and a substantial remodel that cannot be performed with the tenant in place.
No-fault terminations require relocation assistance set by the city, and the amount rises for lower-income, elderly, or disabled tenants. A defective no-fault notice does not merely delay the case. It can void the termination and force you to start over, which is the costliest error in this area. Our overview of relocation assistance for Los Angeles landlords shows how these figures differ by city and why the wrong number sinks a valid case.
| Ground type | Examples | Relocation owed? |
|---|---|---|
| At-fault | Nonpayment, uncured lease breach, nuisance | No |
| No-fault | Owner move-in, Ellis Act, substantial remodel, government order | Yes |
How do Costa-Hawkins and the Ellis Act apply in Pasadena?
Two state laws sit above Measure H and protect owners. The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act preserves vacancy decontrol, so when a tenant voluntarily leaves a covered unit, you may reset the rent to market for the next tenant before the AGA cap resumes. Costa-Hawkins also keeps single-family homes and condominiums out of the local cap. The Ellis Act, Government Code section 7060 and following, guarantees your right to exit the rental business and clear the building, subject to notice and relocation rules that Pasadena layers on top.
One frequent point of confusion is jurisdictional. Pasadena and South Pasadena are separate cities, and South Pasadena has no local rent control, so a South Pasadena property is governed only by the statewide AB 1482 cap, not by Measure H. Applying the wrong city’s rules is a fast way to void a notice. Our landlord-tenant counsel and our Santa Monica rent control guide show how sharply these neighboring rulebooks diverge.
How does Pasadena enforce Measure H, and what are the penalties?
Enforcement runs through the tenant and the Rental Housing Board. A tenant charged above the AGA or served a defective notice can file a petition with the Board, raise the violation as a defense to an unlawful detainer, and seek a refund of the excess rent collected. Measure H authorizes penalties, and a willful overcharge can expose an owner to enhanced damages, so an unlawful increase is rarely just a give-back.
The real exposure is bigger than the overcharge itself. A voided no-fault eviction leaves the tenant in place at the old base rent, and the owner still absorbs any relocation already paid plus attorney fees where they are shifted. We tell Pasadena owners to treat every increase and every notice as if a hearing officer will read it later, because in a covered unit one often does.
What should you check before buying a Pasadena rental building?
Due diligence on a Pasadena rental building is not the same as a market-rate deal, because you inherit the seller’s base rents and any compliance gaps. Before closing, verify the certificate of occupancy date, obtain a certified rent roll that traces each unit’s lawful base rent back to May 17, 2021, and confirm that every unit is registered and current on the annual fee. An unlawful base rent or a registration gap becomes your problem the day you take title.
Ask for estoppel certificates, every rent increase notice served since 2021, and any pending petitions before the Rental Housing Board. In our experience representing buyers of San Gabriel Valley multifamily, an overstated base rent is the most common and most expensive surprise, because it silently caps the income the building can lawfully produce. Finding it in escrow is a price adjustment; finding it after closing is a loss.
Frequently asked questions about Pasadena rent control
What is the maximum rent increase in Pasadena right now?
The Annual General Adjustment is 2.25 percent for October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, applied once every 12 months to covered units. The Board resets the AGA each year at 75 percent of the regional CPI change, so confirm the current figure before serving a notice, because an over-cap increase is void.
What is my unit’s base rent under Measure H?
For most covered units it is the rent that was in effect on May 17, 2021, and every lawful increase compounds from that figure. If rent was raised after that date without authority, the lawful base may be lower than what you are currently charging, which affects every future increase.
Can I charge market rent to a new tenant?
Yes, on a voluntary vacancy. Under the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, you may reset a covered unit to market when the prior tenant leaves on their own or is evicted for cause. The new tenancy is then governed by the AGA going forward.
What can I do if the 2.25 percent AGA does not cover my costs?
File an individual rent adjustment petition with the Pasadena Rental Housing Board for a fair-return increase above the AGA. You will need to document operating costs, capital improvements, and net operating income, so clean financial records are essential before you file.
Does Pasadena rent control apply to my South Pasadena rental?
No. South Pasadena is a separate city with no local rent control, so a South Pasadena property is subject only to California’s AB 1482 statewide cap. Only property inside the City of Pasadena is governed by Measure H.
Do I have to register a newly purchased building right away?
Yes. Registration and the annual fee follow the property, so a new owner must ensure each covered unit is registered and current before raising rent or serving a notice. Confirm the prior owner’s registration status in escrow, because an unregistered unit freezes your ability to increase rent until it is cured.
Can a tenant make me pay their attorney fees in a Pasadena rent dispute?
Potentially. Where the lease or the ordinance provides for fee-shifting, a tenant who prevails on a rent overcharge or a wrongful eviction can recover attorney fees, which often exceeds the disputed rent itself. This is why a defensible notice and a correct base rent matter more than the size of any single increase.
Is Measure H stricter than California’s AB 1482?
Yes. The Measure H Annual General Adjustment, at 2.25 percent, is far below the AB 1482 statewide ceiling of 5 percent plus CPI capped at 10 percent. When a Pasadena unit is covered by both, the stricter local number controls, so you cannot fall back on the higher state cap.
Speak with a Pasadena landlord attorney
Measure H rewards owners who register, document, and calculate from the correct base rent, and it punishes guesswork. Borna Houman Law helps Pasadena property owners set compliant increases, register units, file fair-return petitions, and serve defensible just cause notices. Call (888) 42-BORNA to schedule a confidential consultation.
This article is general information about California and Pasadena law, not legal advice. Ordinances and the Annual General Adjustment change over time. Consult a licensed attorney about your specific property and situation.
Sources: City of Pasadena Rent Stabilization Department, Rent Stabilization Overview (cityofpasadena.net); California Civil Code section 1947.12, Tenant Protection Act (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov).
