Samimi CRE Advisors

    Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance + AB 1482

    Long Beach rent control: what apartment owners need to know

    Is there rent control in Long Beach? How AB 1482 and the city's Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance apply to apartment owners, and what both mean for underwriting and sale value.

    Quick answer

    Long Beach does not have a traditional rent control ordinance capping annual increases. Most Long Beach multifamily is governed by the statewide AB 1482 rent cap, layered with the city's Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance, which can require relocation payments in defined circumstances including certain large rent increases and no-fault terminations. Verify for the specific property.

    What is covered

    • Statewide AB 1482 rent cap applies to most Long Beach multifamily older than 15 years
    • The city's Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance can trigger relocation payment obligations in defined circumstances
    • Certain city notice and registration requirements apply to rental housing operators

    Common exemptions

    • Buildings within the AB 1482 15-year new-construction window
    • Property types exempted by Costa-Hawkins and by the state statute
    • Verify relocation ordinance applicability by trigger event, not by building age alone

    How rent increases work in Long Beach

    Because Long Beach relies on the state cap rather than a local rent board, the ceiling is 5% plus regional CPI, capped at 10%. Owners must separately check whether a contemplated increase crosses a threshold that triggers the city's relocation assistance obligations.

    Ending a tenancy

    AB 1482's just-cause framework applies to qualifying tenancies, and the city's relocation ordinance attaches payment obligations to certain no-fault events. Both need to be checked together rather than in isolation.

    What it means when you buy or sell

    Long Beach is Cameron's second-highest-volume market and one of the most misunderstood, because owners routinely assume it is either fully rent-controlled or fully unregulated — it is neither. Being able to show a buyer exactly which units are AB 1482-capped, which are within the new-construction window, and where relocation exposure sits is often worth more in negotiation than the pro forma itself. Long Beach also has genuine submarket spread, from Wrigley and Zaferia to Belmont Shore and Bixby Knolls.

    Long Beach multifamily sales data

    Aggregate figures from Samimi CRE Advisors' own closed Long Beach apartment sales — not a third-party estimate.

    Aggregate Long Beach multifamily sale statistics from Samimi CRE Advisors closed transactions, 2019–2026
    Closed transactions (2019–2026)46
    Total closed volume$73M
    Median closed sale price$1,375,000
    Median price per unitn = 37 transactions$265,000

    Updated 2026-09-10. Medians reflect one brokerage team's closings and are not a full-market index. Price-per-unit is calculated only on transactions with a recorded unit count of two or more. Full LA County dataset and methodology.

    Verify for the specific property

    This page is a general reference, not legal advice. Rent regulation rules, allowable increase percentages, and exemptions change — and coverage depends on the individual property's construction date, permit history, and tenancy. Always verify for the specific property with the governing agency or qualified counsel before underwriting or noticing an increase.

    Official source: City of Long Beach Housing & Neighborhood Services

    Long Beach rent control FAQ

    Is there rent control in Long Beach?

    Long Beach does not have a traditional local rent control ordinance with a rent board and a locally set annual increase. Most Long Beach apartment buildings are subject instead to the statewide AB 1482 cap, plus the city's Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance in defined circumstances. Verify for the specific property.

    How much can I raise rent in Long Beach?

    For AB 1482-covered units, 5% plus regional CPI with a 10% hard ceiling in any 12-month period. Separately confirm whether the increase triggers relocation assistance obligations under the city ordinance before serving notice.

    Does this make Long Beach a better buy than City of LA?

    It is one factor of several. Lighter regulation supports faster mark-to-market, which some buyers pay up for; City of LA offers deeper scale and different upside. The right comparison is asset by asset, using in-place rent, unit mix, condition, and realistic turnover, not jurisdiction alone.

    Not sure how the rules price your building?

    Cameron underwrites regulated Long Beach product every week and will tell you what a real buyer pays for it — including the realistic turnover timeline, not a same-day mark-to-market fantasy.

    Get a free valuation

    Cameron Samimi · +1-310-259-7556

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