Effective December 2022, the City of Pasadena adopted the Fair and Equitable Housing Charter Amendment, also known as Charter Article XVIII . Charter Article XVIII limits rent increases on most residential rental units and provides eviction protections in the City of Pasadena.
Pursuant to Section 1812 of Charter Article XVIII, the City must create a rental registry. All housing providers with rental units that are covered by Charter Article XVIII must register each rental unit each year and pay the annual Rental Housing Fee. The Rental Housing Fee for the 2024-2025 fiscal year is $214.71 per unit (which includes the rental housing fee for 2023-24). Information about which residential units are subject to the registry requirement can be found below.
In Pasadena, housing providers must register all covered residential rental unit(s) and pay the Rental Housing Fee each year. The Rental Housing Fee for the 2024-2025 fiscal year (which includes the fee for 2023-24) is $214.71 per unit.
In 2024, housing providers are required to register and pay the Rental Housing Fee no later than December 22, 2024. Starting in 2025, housing providers must annually register each rental unit and pay the Rental Housing Fee by October 31st each year.
Housing Providers must also update registration information if any of the following changes occur for any rental unit:
- An increase in rent
- If a tenancy ends (either through a voluntary move or a landlord termination)
- If a new tenancy begins
- If there is a change in ownership of the property
- If there is a change in the unit or property exemption status (if applicable)
These changes must be updated in the Rental Registry within thirty (30) days.
All residential rental units covered by Charter Article XVIII must be registered. This includes units that are subject to the rent stabilization provisions and units that are subject to the Just Cause for Eviction provisions. Most residential rental units in Pasadena are covered under Charter Article XVIII and must be registered.
Covered units that must register include:
- Rented single-family homes
- Rented condominiums
- Rented Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), junior ADUs, in-law units, or other additional dwelling units on a property
- Rented units in multifamily properties (2+ units)
If you are unsure about whether you need to register your unit, please contact the Rent Stabilization Department at (626) 744-7999 or at rentalregistry@cityofpasadena.net.
Online
Owners may register their units by going to the online Rental Registry portal here. We highly encourage online registrations to avoid any delays in your registration.
If you are unable to register via the Rental Registry website for any reason, you may register by completing the registration forms and returning them to the Rent Stabilization Department. To request the paper registration forms, send an email to rentalregistry@cityofpasadena.net or call (626) 744-7999. Please note that submission of paper forms may cause significant delays in processing the registration information.
Appointment
You may request assistance with registering your unit by making an appointment with Rent Stabilization Department staff. To make an appointment, please visit www.CityofPasadena.net/Rent-Stabilization/Rental-Registry or call (626) 744-7999.
Certain properties or rental units are exempt from some or all of the provisions of Charter Article XVIII, and may be exempt from the Rental Registry requirements and from paying the Rental Housing Fee. If you believe your property or rental unit is exempt, you may submit an application for exemption in the Rental Registry.
The following units are exempt from the Rental Housing Fee. You must register these units and apply for a “unit exemption” for these units in the Rental Registry system.
- Unit is fully Owner-Occupied
- Unit is vacant and unavailable for rent for the entire fiscal year and does not meet the definition of a rental unit
- Unit is occupied rent-free (e.g. by a Qualifying Relative) and does not meet the definition of a rental unit
- Unit is the property owner’s primary residence and the property owner shares a bathroom or kitchen with the tenant
- Unit is a ‘temporary tenancy’, as defined by Section 1805(a). The unit is a single-family home that is the primary residence of the owner and is temporarily rented for fewer than 12 months, provided the tenant is provided notice at the commencement of the tenancy that the tenancy may be terminated, and relocation will not be provided
- Unit is an affordable unit that is owned or operated or managed by a not-for-profit organization pursuant to a tax credit program
- Unit is a government-subsidized unit but only if state or federal law exempt the unit from local rent control and eviction protections. (We recommend consulting with the Rent Stabilization Department if you believe your unit is exempt for this reason)
The following properties are exempt from the Rental Registration requirements. You may claim a “property exemption” in the Rental Registry system.
- Owner-occupied single-family residence (i.e. single-family homes and condos)
- Dormitories owned by accredited institution of higher education
- Affordable housing that is owned, operated or managed by a not-for-profit organization pursuant to a tax credit program
- Property that is owned, operated, or managed by a government authority or agency where state or federal regulations exempt the property from local rent control
- Hospital
- Convent
- Monastery
- Extended medical care facility
- Treatment or recovery program facility
- Asylum
- Non-profit home for the aged
If you have any questions on whether your property or unit is exempt, please contact the Rent Stabilization Department by calling (626) 744-7999 or sending an email to rentalregistry@cityofpasadena.net.
Most owner-occupied units are exempt from the registration requirement and Rental Housing Fee. If you received a letter to register and you occupy your home, then you should claim your unit exempt from the rent registry so as not to receive further registration communications. Owner-occupied units do not need to pay the Rental Housing Fee but should register and claim an exemption.
Owners can claim these units exempt by creating an account in the online Rental Registry, using the APN/PIN information included in the registration letter. Until and unless you claim an exemption, the City will assume your rental unit is subject to the registration and Rental Housing Fee and the City may commence enforcement actions for failure to register.
If your single-family home or condo becomes available for rent, you are required to register the unit and pay the annual Rental Housing Fee. Failure to register and pay the Fee may result in penalties and fines.
- If the single-family home or condo is rented, then it must be registered.
- If the owner lives in the house as their primary residence and shares a bathroom or kitchen with the tenant(s), then the owner should register and claim an exemption in the Rental Registry.
- If the home is the owner’s primary residence but the owner is temporarily renting the unit for less than 12 months in any 36-month period and has notified the tenant in writing, then the owner should register and claim an exemption in the online Rental Registry.
To register a unit, housing providers must have the Assessor Parcel Number (APN) and unique pin number associated with their property. This information was provided in a letter that the Rent Stabilization Department mailed to the address associated with the housing provider.
If you do not have the APN and pin or you did not receive the letter, please contact the Rent Stabilization Department at (626) 744-7999 or make an appointment at www.CityofPasadena.net/Rent-Stabilization/Rental-Registry.
To register a unit, you will need to enter information about the rental unit, the property owner and/or manager, and the tenancy. Information that will be collected in the Rental Registry includes:
- Unit Address and Unit Number/Designation (i.e., #A, #1/2, #4A, etc.)
- Exemption status and relevant documentation
- Start Date of current tenancy
- Initial Rent of current tenancy
- Current Rent
- Date of last rent increase
- Amount of last rent increase
- Number of occupants
- Security deposit provided at start of tenancy
- Unit size (number of bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen(s), and square footage)
- Services included with the rent (e.g., utilities, laundry access, parking, etc.)
- Property owner contact and billing information
- Property owner business information (if applicable). If owner is an LLC or partnership, names of LLC member(s) and manager
- Property manager contact information (if applicable)
At the May 23, 2024, Board Meeting, the Rental Housing Board voted to approve the Rental Housing Fee of $214.71 per unit for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. This fee also includes the rental housing fee for 2023-24. For units covered by Charter Article XVIII, housing providers must pay $214.71 per unit.
Units that are exempt from Charter Article XVIII (e.g. owner-occupied units, units unavailable for rent) will not be charged the Rental Housing Fee.
After registering your rental units, the Rental Registry will generate an invoice for the fee owed in the 2024-2025 registration year. You may pay the fee using a credit card in the Rental Registry portal. Options to pay via mail or in-person will be provided in the invoice.
Housing providers are responsible for complying with the City’s Charter Article XVIII. The City may commence enforcement actions against any housing provider who fails to register a rental unit and pay the Rental Housing Fee by December 22, 2024. If a housing provider fails to register their unit by the deadline:
- Tenants may have the right to withhold rent until the owner is in compliance with the registration requirements
- For rent-controlled units, owners may not increase the rent
- Property owners may be prevented from evicting a tenant
