Renters in Santa Cruz County can better advocate for themselves by knowing their rights, learning how to navigate disputes with landlords and getting legal help. Have a question we didn’t answer? Email us at [email protected]. Santa Cruz Local is a news organization and cannot directly assist with housing issues or give legal advice. 

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  • Senior Legal Services offers eviction support and other tenant legal help. They primarily help those 60 and older. They also assist housing concerns of patients in nursing homes and residential care facilities. 
    • Offices are open Monday to Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1-4:30 p.m. at 317 Soquel Ave. in Santa Cruz., 114 E. Fifth St. in Watsonville, and 440 San Benito St. in Hollister.
    • For more information or to make an appointment, call (831) 426-8824 or email [email protected]. 
  • Tenant Sanctuary provides counseling about tenant rights, and refers some cases to an attorney. 
    • Open Monday and Wednesday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m. at 703 Pacific Ave. in Santa Cruz and Monday 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 1740 17th Ave. in Live Oak.
    • Call for more information (831) 200-0740 or email [email protected]. 
  • The Conflict Resolution Center of Santa Cruz County provides free mediation to resolve conflicts between landlords and tenants outside of the legal system. 
  • The Santa Cruz Law Library has legal materials and can assist with legal research. They do not provide legal advice.
  • The Self Help Center at the Santa Cruz Superior Court can assist people going through legal proceedings without an attorney. They provide information and help filling out forms, but do not give legal advice or representation. 
    • Open 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. Monday to Thursday at 1 Second St., room 301 in Watsonville.
    • For more information, call (831) 786-7200 (option 4) or email [email protected]. 
  • The Lawyer Referral Service of Santa Cruz County connects people with a local attorney for a 30-minute consultation. Consultations cost $50, and fee vouchers for low-income residents may be available. Request an appointment online or email [email protected]. 

Rent hikes 

  • California’s Tenant Protection Act limits rent hikes 5% plus the percentage change in the cost of living, but generally no more than 10% per year. Rent increases taking effect between Aug. 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026 in Santa Cruz County are limited to 7.7%. 
  • The law doesn’t apply to all rentals, including single-family homes, mobile homes and student dorms. It also doesn’t apply to tenants using Housing Choice Vouchers (also known as Section 8) or developments with expiring rent restrictions.
  • See more details and exceptions from the California Office of the Attorney General.

Just cause evictions

  • Many California renters who have lived in a rental for longer than 12 months can only be evicted for specific reasons.
    • “At fault” evictions are due to nonpayment of rent, lease violations or criminal activity.
    • “No fault” evictions are limited to specific reasons, including an owner moving in or renovating the property.
  • Like the rent hike rules, these exclude some homes, including single-family homes, mobile homes and student dorms.
  • The City of Santa Cruz extends these protections to tenants with Housing Choice Vouchers (also known as Section 8) and to tenants of units with expiring affordable rental restrictions, which are not covered by the state law.
  • See more details and exceptions from the California Office of the Attorney General.

Relocation assistance

Within the city of Santa Cruz and within areas of the county outside of cities, tenants displaced by repairs or large rent hikes are entitled to payments from the landlord.

  • Tenants who move after a large rent hike (more than 5% in a year or more than 7% over two years) are entitled to a payment equal to two months of the rent before the increase. 
  • Tenants who must move out due to unsafe living conditions are entitled to three months of fair market value rent for a similar-sized home, or three months of the tenant’s current rent, whichever is greater. Those who must relocate within 30 days are due three months of rent.
  • The rules don’t apply to hazardous conditions because of “recent events that are beyond the control of the property owner.”
  • See more details in the City of Santa Cruz’s law and county law. 

Watsonville has a similar law that requires relocation assistance and reimbursement of moving costs if a unit is uninhabitable, but it does not cover large rent hikes. See Watsonville’s law.

Habitability

Renters in California are entitled to basic standards of habitability, including: 

  • Moisture and mold.
  • Rats or other pests.
  • Functioning plumbing and heating.
  • Hot and cold running water.
  • See more details in California’s Health and Safety Code.
  • If landlords do not promptly repair these conditions, residents can submit a complaint to local officials (see below).

Discrimination

Landlords cannot deny a rental application, pursue eviction or charge a higher price based on a tenant’s protected characteristics, including gender identity, sexual orientation, race or immigration status. They also cannot legally exclude prospective tenants with Housing Choice Vouchers (also known as Section 8). These protections do not apply to rooms rented within owner-occupied homes.

Landlords must make reasonable accommodations to policies or modifications to the building for tenants with disabilities, as long as they don’t present an “undue burden.” See more details from Disability Rights California and Tenant Sanctuary.

Tenants who think they have experienced housing discrimination can submit a complaint to the California Civil Rights Department.

Application process

Landlords can charge a maximum per-person application fee of $62.02 in 2025. The maximum fee changes annually. If an application is not actively considered, the landlord must return the fee.

As of Jan. 1, 2025, landlords must process rental applications on a first-come, first-served basis in most cases, and must offer the lease to the first applicant to meet their minimum qualifications. These qualifications must be shared with prospective tenants.

Security deposits

As of July 1, 2024, security deposits are limited to the equivalent of one month’s rent, or three months’ rent for furnished units. Landlords that own no more than two rental properties with no more than four units total can require two months’ rent for unfurnished units.

Money cannot be deducted from the deposit for pre-existing damage or normal wear and tear. Tenants have the right to an inspection of the unit before move-out to identify any potential deductions. 

Within 21 days of the lease end, the landlord must specify any deductions and their costs, provide documentation of those costs, and return the rest of the money. See more details from the California Department of Justice.

See more details on renters rights from the California Department of Real Estate.

If your home has mold, rats, plumbing problems or other habitability issues that the property manager or landlord hasn’t addressed, you can submit a complaint to city or county officials.

  • Santa Cruz city: submit an online form, call 831-420-5111 or email [email protected].
  • Watsonville: submit an online form or call 831-768-3050.
  • Scotts Valley: fill out a form and drop it off or mail it to 1 Civic Center Drive, Scotts Valley, 95066, email it to [email protected], or call 831-440-5600. 
  • Capitola: fill out a form and email it to [email protected], drop it off or mail it to 420 Capitola Ave., Capitola, or call 831-475-7300.
  • Unincorporated Santa Cruz County: in areas outside of cities (including Live Oak and the San Lorenzo Valley), file a complaint with the county online, call 831-454-2022, or email [email protected]. 

  • To begin an “at-fault” eviction due to nonpayment of rent or lease violations, a landlord must provide a notice that gives three days (for some lease violations) or 30 days (for nonpayment of rent) to fix the problem or pay back rent. For a “non fault” eviction for other reasons, landlords must give 30- or 60-days notice. 
    • If you don’t agree with the notice, you can seek mediation through the Santa Cruz County Conflict Resolution Center. You may be able to agree to a payment plan for back rent.
    • If you don’t resolve the issue or come to an agreement by the deadline, the landlord can file in court for an eviction. 
    • Read more details from the California Courts.
  • After a landlord serves papers saying they are pursuing evictions, you have 10 to 20 days (depending on how they notify you) to answer the notice and declare whether you will fight the eviction. The Self Help Center at the Santa Cruz Superior Court has staff that can help you fill out the form. You may also still be able to solve the issue through mediation. 
    • If you don’t file an answer, you won’t have a say when the landlord goes to a judge to approve the eviction. If a judge does approve the eviction, a sheriff will give you 5 days to move out.
    • See more details on responding to an eviction notice.
  • After you file an answer, you or your landlord can request a trial. At the trial, you can argue your case to a judge, submit evidence and bring a witness to speak on your behalf. If you and the landlord cannot come to an agreement through mediation, the judge will issue a decision. See more details on an eviction trial.
    • If the judge approves the eviction, you will be issued a notice with 5 days to move out. You can request more time, but will still be charged rent.
    • If you don’t pay back rent, a judge can take up to 25% of your wages until the debt is repaid, or take money from your bank account.
    • See more details about what happens after an eviction hearing.

 

 

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