Contact a Housing Counselor

Due to the Shelter In Place Order issued on March 16, 2020, all drop-in housing counseling and workshops have been canceled.

Rent Program staff members remain available to assist members of the public by phone at (510) 238-3721 during normal business hours Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please leave a message and a housing counselor will return your call within 48 hours. You may also email us at rap@staging.oaklandca.gov. Please visit our website at www.staging.oaklandca.gov/rap

All hearings, mediations and Rent Board meetings scheduled through May 1, 2020 are postponed until further notice. Parties will receive notice of a new hearing date in the mail.

New petitions should be submitted online. All petition related documents should be submitted by mail to 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Suite 5313, Oakland, CA 94612 or by email to rap@staging.oaklandca.gov.

All eviction notices should be scanned and submitted via email to evictionnotices@staging.oaklandca.gov. All documents for Ellis Act cases should be mailed to: 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Suite 5313, Oakland, Ca 94612.

Tenants may challenge a loss of service if they believe it is more than the allowed increase. To challenge a loss of service, a tenant may file a petition for a service that:

• is no longer offered;
• used to be covered by property owners, but the tenant is now being charged for;
• has changed substantially since move-in;
• is a serious defect in the unit that affects the health or safety in the unit.

Tenants may challenge a rent increase if they believe it is more than the allowed increase. To challenge a rent increase, a tenant must file a petition either:

• Within 90 days of receiving the notice of rent increase with a Rent Adjustment Program Notice
• OR within 120 days of receiving the notice of rent increase if the tenant did not receive the Rent Adjustment Program Notice

If you do not file a petition by the deadline, your case may be dismissed.

Property owners who want to increase rent more than the CPI increase must submit a petition. Property owners may file petitions for:

• A certificate of exemption
• Approval of a rent increase above the annual CPI increase:
• Challenge a Tenant's Claim of Protected Status
• Transitional Rent Increase:

There is no filing fee for any petition, response or appeal.

• Please attach to the petition any copies of documents related to your case.
• You can update your contact information and add supporting documents up until 7 days before your set hearing date.