Legal & policy
SB 1211 and rent control
How Costa-Hawkins and local rent control interact with new ADUs built under SB 1211.
Newly-constructed ADUs are exempt from local rent control under Costa-Hawkins (Civil Code §1954.52) for the first 15 years from certificate of occupancy. After 15 years, local rent control may apply if the underlying jurisdiction has it.
Practical implication: ADUs built under SB 1211 in cities like LA, Berkeley, or Santa Monica enjoy a 15-year market-rate window before any local rent stabilization could attach.
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Related legal & policy topics
SB 1211 vs SB 9SB 9 covers single-family lot splits; SB 1211 covers multifamily ADUs. They complement, not overlap.SB 1211 vs AB 1033AB 1033 lets ADUs be sold as condos. SB 1211 lets you build more of them. Used together, they enable separate-sale multifamily ADUs.What 'ministerial approval' means under SB 1211No public hearings, no design review, no neighborhood-character findings. Objective standards only.Objective standards under SB 1211Setbacks, height, fire access, building code. What cities can and cannot review.HOAs and SB 1211Civil Code §4751 voids HOA restrictions that effectively prohibit ADUs.Existing vs proposed buildings under SB 1211The 8-ADU cap only applies to existing multifamily. Proposed projects are still capped at 2.Who SB 1211 helpsSmall landlords, mid-size apartment owners, family-owned multifamily portfolios.Short-term rentals and SB 1211Cities can still prohibit STR use of ADUs.
How this topic plays in different cities
SB 1211 in AlhambraLos Angeles County · $2,300/moSB 1211 in Chula VistaSan Diego County · $2,300/moSB 1211 in OrangeOrange County · $2,500/moSB 1211 in Moreno ValleyRiverside County · $1,900/moSB 1211 in OxnardVentura County · $2,300/moSB 1211 in ConcordContra Costa County · $2,400/moSB 1211 in Santa RosaSonoma County · $2,300/moSB 1211 in San MateoSan Mateo County · $3,000/moSB 1211 in Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara County · $2,900/moSB 1211 in San JoseSanta Clara County · $2,900/moSB 1211 in PalmdaleLos Angeles County · $1,700/moSB 1211 in OaklandAlameda County · $2,700/mo
By property type
Duplex2-unit · up to 3 new ADUsTriplex3-unit · up to 4 new ADUsFourplex / 4-unit4-unit · up to 5 new ADUs5-unit apartment5-unit · up to 6 new ADUs6-unit apartment6-unit · up to 7 new ADUs8-unit apartment8-unit · up to 10 new ADUs10-unit apartment10-unit · up to 10 new ADUs12-unit apartment12-unit · up to 11 new ADUs16-unit apartment16-unit · up to 12 new ADUs20-unit apartment20-unit · up to 13 new ADUs24-unit apartment24-unit · up to 14 new ADUs32-unit apartment32-unit · up to 16 new ADUs