Berkeley voters approved big changes to the city's rent law in 2024 with Measure BB. Measure X, on the Nov. 3 ballot, is a follow-up package of amendments to the Rent Stabilization and Eviction for Just Cause Ordinance. The City Council placed it on the ballot, and it needs a simple majority to pass, according to City Attorney Farimah Faiz Brown's impartial analysis.
What a yes vote does
Caps yearly increases at 10%. Owners could not raise the lawful rent by more than 10% in a one-year period. Berkeley landlords who skip yearly increases can "bank" them for later. Measure X supporters wrote in Berkeleyside that a few new owners have used a decade or more of banked increases at once, raising rents by 50% or more. Under the cap, an owner could still reach the full ceiling but would have to spread the increase over several years.
Locks in coverage at move-in. Some exemptions from rent control and just-cause eviction, including those for certain accessory dwelling units and certain owner-occupied duplexes, would apply only if the unit was already exempt when the current tenancy began. A tenant who moved into a covered unit would stay covered even if the unit later qualified for an exemption. Supporters say the change would not apply to tenancies that are already exempt when the measure takes effect.
Expands tenant associations. For properties not run by a property management company, Measure X would lower the number of rental units needed for tenants to form a recognized tenant association from 10 to five. Associations at managed buildings would stay recognized even if the company left. An owner's failure to confer in good faith with an association could support a petition for a rent reduction.
Helps nonprofit housing. The Rent Stabilization Board could waive or reduce fees for government-subsidized units owned, leased or controlled by nonprofits. To the extent state and local law allow, owners of single-family homes or new buildings could also volunteer to come under the ordinance in exchange for financial assistance.
Administrative changes. The annual registration fee deadline would move from July 1 to Sept. 30, a change supporters say lines it up with the fiscal year. It would allow paperless billing, drop a rule requiring partially covered units to re-register within 15 days of a new tenancy, and clarify how relocation payments are handled in owner move-in evictions.
Who supports it
The Council vote was unanimous, according to a Berkeleyside op-ed by Councilmember Cecilia Lunaparra, Rent Board chair Soli Alpert and board member Alfred Twu. They list endorsements from the Alameda County Democratic Party, the Berkeley Tenants Union, UAW 4811, East Bay Housing Organizations and nonprofit housing developers including Resources for Community Development and Satellite Affordable Housing Associates. They describe the measure as modest fixes to close loopholes. VoterDecoder says the official ballot arguments were not yet on file when it posted its summary. We will update this story if organized opposition emerges.
Related Berkeley races
The board that would carry out Measure X is also on the ballot. See our guide to the Berkeley Rent Board race, with six candidates for five seats. We also cover the District 8 council race and the Measure Y arts tax. Every guide is collected in our Nov. 2026 election guide.