Rent Increase Information
The Berkeley Housing Authority (BHA) policy permits an owner/agent to receive one rent increase per year per unit, provided: (1) The request is supported by a rent reasonableness determination; (2) unit meets Housing Quality Standards (HQS); (3) The rent increase will be effective after the first year of the lease.
All proposed rents must be reasonable and comparable to other unassisted rents of like properties in the neighborhood. Rent reasonableness is defined as rents that do not exceed the rents charged for comparable, unassisted units in the same market area.
The Berkeley Housing Authority (BHA) will conduct a rent reasonableness review on each request to determine if it can be approved based upon specific comparable data and HUD’s rent reasonableness criteria.
NOTE: The unit remains exempt from registration, payment of fees, rent ceilings and rent increases under the Berkeley Rent Control Ordinance as long as the contract rent does not exceed the Payment Standard.
To begin the rent increase process, you must provide the following documents:
- A notice to BHA of any proposed change in the amount of the rent to the owner at least sixty days before the proposed changes are to go into effect.
The notice must include the following information:
a. Tenant Name
b. Tenant Address
c. Effective date of proposed change
d. Owner or agent signature
2. A copy of a sixty (60) – day advance written Notice of Intent to Increase the Rent, served to your tenant containing the following information:
a. Current date
b. Notice addressed to the tenant/head of household
c. Complete property address, including apartment number if applicable
d. Effective date of increase
e. Proposed rent amount
f. Signature of the owner or agent
3. A completed Unit Characteristics Survey. The Unit Characteristics Survey provides specific information about the property to assist in making the most informed rent reasonableness determination.
4. If the rent requested is more than the Payment Standard, you must provide written evidence that the new rent does not exceed the rent allowed under the Rent Control Ordinance.
Once the required information has been received, the rent reasonableness determination will begin. BHA will notify you and your tenant within 15 business days of receipt of a complete request.
Please submit the required documents to:
Berkeley Housing Authority
1947 Center Street, Fifth Floor
Berkeley, CA 94704
Attn: Rent Increase Request
