If you own a rental property in Ventura, you’ve probably heard conflicting things about rent control. Some landlords assume Ventura has the same strict local rules as Santa Barbara or Los Angeles. Others assume there’s no rent control at all. Neither assumption is fully correct, and getting this wrong can cost you thousands in legal exposure.
Here’s the accurate, current picture for 2026, and what’s coming that every property management company in Ventura is watching closely.
Does Ventura Have Local Rent Control? No, and the City Council Recently Confirmed It Will Stay That Way
As of 2026, the City of Ventura does not have its own local rent control ordinance. That puts Ventura in a different position than Santa Barbara, which has a local Tenant Protection Ordinance layered on top of state law.
For Ventura landlords, that means one layer of regulation governs your rent increases and eviction process: California’s statewide Tenant Protection Act, AB 1482.
This isn’t just the current state of things, it’s also where the city is choosing to stay. In a May Council meeting, Ventura’s City Council reviewed eight proposed tenant protection measures and explicitly declined to move forward with rent stabilization (local rent control) and a citywide rental registry. A separate proposal to create a local ordinance regulating security deposits was also rejected, with the Council noting that area is already addressed by state law.
What the Council did advance: an expanded contract with the Housing Rights Center for tenant and landlord legal services, a potential anti-harassment ordinance protecting tenants from coercive or retaliatory action, policies aimed at reducing displacement among long-term tenants, and development of property owner compliance resources such as informational portals. None of these are local rent caps, but they do mean more structured tenant-landlord dispute resources are coming to Ventura, and that’s worth knowing about even if it doesn’t change your rent math.
The practical takeaway for Ventura landlords: state law, specifically AB 1482, is what actually controls your rent increases and eviction process today, and the City Council has shown no near-term appetite for adding a stricter local layer on top of it. That could change in the future, but it’s not the direction the city is currently heading.
For context on how this plays out once a local ordinance is in place, see how it works in neighboring Santa Barbara: Santa Barbara Rent Control Laws 2026.
What AB 1482 Actually Requires in Ventura Right Now
AB 1482, California’s statewide Tenant Protection Act, applies to most residential rentals in Ventura that don’t qualify for an exemption. It covers two things: how much you can raise rent, and how you can end a tenancy.
The Rent Increase Cap
The formula is the same statewide:
- Start with a base of 5%
- Add the local CPI (Consumer Price Index) for the prior year
- The total cannot exceed 10%, regardless of CPI
So if local CPI is running at 3.5%, your maximum allowable annual increase is 8.5%. If CPI is higher, the cap still holds at 10%. Landlords should verify the current CPI figure for the Ventura area before issuing any increase notice, using outdated figures is one of the most common compliance mistakes we see.
Just Cause Eviction Requirements
Once a tenant has lived in a unit for 12 months or more, you need a valid legal reason to end the tenancy. These fall into two categories:
At-fault just cause includes nonpayment of rent, lease violations after written notice, illegal activity on the property, or refusal to allow lawful entry.
No-fault just cause includes the owner or an immediate family member moving in, withdrawal of the unit from the rental market, or substantial renovation requiring the tenant to vacate.
No-fault evictions require the landlord to pay one month of relocation assistance to the tenant being displaced. Skipping this step is a serious, and common, compliance failure.
Which Ventura Properties Are Covered by AB 1482?
Not every rental in Ventura falls under AB 1482. Knowing your property’s status before you set rent or issue a notice is essential.
Typically covered: – Multi-unit buildings 15 years or older – Single-family homes and condos owned by corporations or LLCs – Apartments not otherwise exempt under Costa-Hawkins
Typically exempt: – Single-family homes owned by individual landlords (with proper exemption notice on file) – Condos sold separately from other units – New construction completed within the last 15 years – Owner-occupied buildings with two or fewer units
Misclassifying your property is one of the most expensive mistakes a Ventura landlord can make, it can invalidate a rent increase or an eviction entirely.
Required Notice Periods
California requires written notice before any rent increase, and the length of notice depends on the size of the increase:
- 30 days notice for increases of 10% or less
- 90 days notice for increases over 10%
New tenants must also receive a written disclosure outlining which Tenant Protection Act provisions apply to their unit. Skipping this notice weakens your legal position if a dispute ever ends up in court.
Don’t Forget: Security Deposit Rules Changed Too
Rent control isn’t the only area where Ventura landlords need to stay current. AB 2801, which affects how security deposits must be itemized and returned, adds another layer of compliance that’s easy to overlook if you’re only focused on rent caps. We cover the deposit-specific rules in detail in our companion guide on security deposit laws for Ventura landlords.
What Ventura’s Unincorporated Areas Look Like
If your property sits in unincorporated Ventura County rather than within Ventura city limits, different rules may apply, particularly for mobile home parks, which are governed by a separate Ventura County Mobile Home Park Rent Control Ordinance tied to the annual Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment. This is a narrow category but an important one if it applies to you. If you’re unsure whether your property falls inside city limits or unincorporated county jurisdiction, this is exactly the kind of detail a local property management company should confirm for you before you make any rent decisions.
Common Mistakes Ventura Landlords Make
We see these errors regularly, even among experienced landlords:
- Assuming Ventura has no rent restrictions at all, AB 1482 applies even without a local ordinance
- Using outdated CPI figures when calculating allowable rent increases
- Skipping relocation assistance on a no-fault eviction
- Failing to provide the required Tenant Protection Act disclosure to new tenants
- Assuming local rent control could arrive any day, when the City Council has explicitly declined to pursue it, while still missing the genuinely new tenant-facing resources the city is rolling out (legal aid contracts, anti-harassment protections)
How a Local Property Management Company Keeps You Compliant
This is exactly the kind of regulatory tracking that a property management company in Ventura handles on your behalf. At 101 Property Management, we monitor state law and local Ventura City Council activity continuously, not just once a year, so your rent increases, notices, and lease terms are always defensible.
Our team, led by licensed California Real Estate Broker Claudia, reviews every lease against current law before it’s signed, and tracks regulatory changes as they happen rather than after they take effect. Learn more about our team on our About page, or see our full range of management services.
For owners managing properties across the broader county, our guide on property management in Ventura County covers additional considerations for multi-property portfolios.
Get Compliance Guidance for Your Ventura Property
Even with local rent control off the table for now, AB 1482 compliance still trips up plenty of Ventura landlords, from miscalculating the CPI-based rent cap to skipping relocation assistance on a no-fault eviction. If you’re not confident your current rent increases, lease language, or eviction process would hold up under scrutiny, it’s worth a professional assessment.
Get a free Ventura property consultation →
You can also review our services overview or read answers to common owner questions on our FAQ page.
101 Property Management is a bilingual, locally owned property management company serving Ventura, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, Goleta, Santa Maria, and surrounding communities. Our team has tracked California rental law changes for Ventura and Santa Barbara County landlords for over 20 years. Call 805-770-2048.
This article is for general informational purposes and reflects our understanding of California and City of Ventura rental law as of publication. It is not legal advice. Laws and local council decisions can change, and individual circumstances vary. Consult a licensed attorney for guidance specific to your property.