Landlord Resources
The following resources are available to support Palo Alto Landlords.
Palo Alto Tenant Guide:Find frequently asked questions about rental housing.
City of Palo Alto Rental Requirements & Policies
What's New: Recently, renter protections were expanded. Lowering the security deposit limit for unfurnished rental units in Palo Alto to one and a half times (1.5x) the monthly rent helps reduce the total move-in costs for a renter and goes beyond the State security deposit limit (which sets the limit at 2x the monthly rent). The City Council approved extending just cause eviction protections to more renters in our community than currently covered under State law. And, while State eviction protections end in 2030, they made Palo Alto protections permanent. These changes went into effect July 20, 2023.
Long-Standing Existing Requirements
One Year Lease Requirement: The Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) Section 9.68.030 requires all landlords to offer their tenant or prospective tenant a lease that which has a minimum term of one year. If a tenant would prefer to have a rental agreement of less than one year, they must first reject the one-year lease before they are offered a short term lease.
Mandatory Response Program: Palo Alto Mandatory Response Program is a program that requires a mandatory response in many types of disputes involving rental housing properties. A tenant, owner, or property manager can start the process, at no cost to any party, by filing a petition form with the Palo Alto Mediation Program.
Tenant Relocation Assistance (TRA) Requirement:
Palo Alto landlords must provide renters with financial assistance, referred to as Tenant Relocation Assistance (TRA), if a landlord initiates an eligible no-fault just cause eviction of a renter. Both landlords and renters are advised to review Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) Chapter 9.68 in full to understand various renter eligibility requirements and landlord obligations.
PAMC Section 9.68.020 defines no-fault just cause evictions.
PAMC Section 9.68.040 explains applicability and protections. The TRA amount varies depending upon the total number of units on a property, as detailed in PAMC Sections
9.68.050 and
9.68.060. Please refer to the
FY 2026-2027 Tenant Relocation Assistance Amounts and Guidance sheet(PDF, 114KB) for more information.
Landlord Registry: The Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) Section 9.72.050 requires landlords to register their rental unit (or units) with the City. The registration must include the name and mailing address of the owner or owners of the property, as well as the name, mailing address and contact telephone number of the person with the legal authority to effectively resolve disputes. Click here to view the form in a new window.
Other Resources
Project Sentinel:Project Sentinel assists individuals with housing problems such as discrimination, mortgage foreclosure & delinquency, rental issues including repairs, deposits, privacy, dispute resolution, home buyer education, post purchase education and reverse mortgages. Call (800)339-6043or visit the Project Sentinel website for more information. In the Tenant-Landlord Counseling and Dispute Resolution Program, Project Sentinel provides neutral counseling and information to both landlords and tenants.
Palo Alto Mediation Program: Palo Alto Mediation Program offers conciliation and mediation services to help resolve a variety of disputes including landlord/tenant, roommates/shared housing, neighborhood, personal, consumer, small business employer/employee, and community. The program services are free and available to anyone who lives, works, or does business, or owns property in Palo Alto. Contact (650) 856-4062 or email pamediation@housing.org. Please visit the Palo Alto Mediation Program website for more information. Landlords and tenants residing in Palo Alto are required to participate in mediation to resolve many types of disputes that may arise.