Salinas · Renting & eviction

Renting in Salinas: the rules that apply

Salinas's own rules first, then the state law underneath — with the code text for every value.

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Key points

Rent increases — Salinas rule Eviction and just cause — Salinas rule Relocation payments — Salinas rule Notices — Salinas rule Security deposits — state law Retaliation — Salinas rule Harassment and lockouts — Salinas rule Repairs and habitability — state law Landlord entry — state law Buyout agreements — Salinas rule Hotel and short-term rental tax — Salinas rule

Salinas adds its own rules on rent increases, eviction and just cause, relocation payments, notices, retaliation, harassment and lockouts, buyout agreements and hotel and short-term rental tax on top of California's statewide rules. Each value below links to the section of the Salinas Municipal Code it was read from (checked October 2026).

Each rule below is marked Salinas code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

Rent increases

Salinas code At most 5 percent plus cost-of-living change or 10 percent, whichever is lower, over 12 months Nonexempt Salinas rental units; excludes Costa-Hawkins-exempt units, qualifying government/subsidized housing, deed-restricted affordable housing, listed institutions/transient lodging and listed historic buildings

All 5 Salinas rules on rent increases, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Eviction and just cause

Salinas code Listed at-fault grounds, including lawful unpaid rent, uncured material breach, nuisance/damage after notice, waste, specified crime/threats, prohibited subletting, continued access refusal and convicted illegal use Residential rental units except qualifying transient lodging, listed institutions/dormitories, owner-shared kitchen/bath accommodations and qualifying owner-occupied single-family residences

All 2 Salinas rules on eviction and just cause, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Relocation payments

Salinas code What Salinas's code adds
Amount	three months of actual Rent under the Tenant's Rental Housing Agreement in effect at the date of the notice Applies: No-fault termination of units covered by the Just Cause Eviction and Tenant Protection article; regardless of income or tenancy length; relocation assistance is additional to refundable deposits. § 17-02.54 · code text A Landlord seeking to recover possession under section 17-02.53(b) shall, regardless of the Tenant's income or length of tenancy provide relocation assistance to the Tenant in an amount equal to three months of actual Rent under the Tenant's Rental Housing Agreement in effect at the date of the notice.
When relocation is owed	No-fault termination for qualifying owner/family move-in or substantial repairs/demolition Applies: Rental units covered by the Just Cause Eviction and Tenant Protection article; requirements of section 17-02.53(b) apply § 17-02.54 · code text A Landlord seeking to recover possession under section 17-02.53(b) shall, regardless of the Tenant's income or length of tenancy provide relocation assistance to the Tenant

CA state law Underneath, California law still applies. No-fault eviction relocation assistance: One month's rent (as relocation payment or rent waiver), paid within 15 calendar days of the notice (Civ. Code § 1946.2(d)(3)(A)). Relocation under California's just-cause law — the full state rule →

Notices

Salinas code File notice and accompanying warning materials with City Attorney within three days of tenant service Notice must state that Salinas law limits rent increases, that the landlord must provide a statement of cause in any notice to terminate a tenancy, and that tenants evicted on a no-fault basis have rights to return at the same rent and to relocation payments.

All 7 Salinas rules on notices, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Security deposits

CA state law Salinas has no rule of its own on this, so California law applies. Security deposit cap: One month's rent, on top of the first month's rent (Civ. Code § 1950.5(c)(1), (c)(6)). Deposit return deadline: 21 calendar days after the tenant moves out, with an itemized statement of any deductions (Civ. Code § 1950.5(h)(1)). California security deposit law — the full state rule →

Retaliation

Salinas code What Salinas's code adds
Protected activities	assertion or exercise of any right under this title Applies: Nonexempt Just Cause Eviction and Tenant Protection units § 17-02.60 · code text No landlord may threaten to bring, or bring, an action to recover possession, cause the tenant to quit the unit involuntarily, serve any notice to quit or notice of termination of tenancy, decrease any housing services or increase the rent where the landlord's intent is retaliation against the tenant for the tenant's assertion or exercise of any right under this title.
Remedies	Retaliation may be raised affirmatively or defensively regardless of elapsed time Applies: Nonexempt Just Cause Eviction and Tenant Protection units § 17-02.60 · code text A tenant may assert retaliation affirmatively or as a defense to the landlord's action regardless of the period of time which has elapsed between the tenant's assertion or exercise of rights under this chapter and the alleged act of retaliation. a defense to an action to recover possession Applies: Nonexempt Just Cause Eviction and Tenant Protection units § 17-02.60 · code text Any action of retaliation described in subsection (a) shall be a defense to an action to recover possession, or it may serve as the basis for an affirmative action by the tenant or actual and punitive damages and injunctive relief. basis for an affirmative action by the tenant Applies: Nonexempt Just Cause Eviction and Tenant Protection units § 17-02.60 · code text Any action of retaliation described in subsection (a) shall be a defense to an action to recover possession, or it may serve as the basis for an affirmative action by the tenant or actual and punitive damages and injunctive relief. actual and punitive damages Applies: Nonexempt Just Cause Eviction and Tenant Protection units § 17-02.60 · code text Any action of retaliation described in subsection (a) shall be a defense to an action to recover possession, or it may serve as the basis for an affirmative action by the tenant or actual and punitive damages and injunctive relief. injunctive relief Applies: Nonexempt Just Cause Eviction and Tenant Protection units § 17-02.60 · code text Any action of retaliation described in subsection (a) shall be a defense to an action to recover possession, or it may serve as the basis for an affirmative action by the tenant or actual and punitive damages and injunctive relief.

CA state law Underneath, California law still applies. Retaliation protection period: For 180 days after a tenant complains about habitability (to the landlord or an agency), the landlord may not evict, raise rent or cut services in retaliation (Civ. Code § 1942.5(a), (b)). Retaliatory eviction in California — the full state rule →

Harassment and lockouts

Salinas code Infraction or misdemeanor; misdemeanor: fine up to $1,000 per offense, up to 6 months county jail, or both. At least 3 times actual damages, or a $2,000 minimum, whichever is greater.

All 33 Salinas rules on harassment and lockouts, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Repairs and habitability

CA state law Salinas has no rule of its own on this, so California law applies. Duty to keep the unit habitable: The landlord must deliver a unit fit to live in and repair conditions that make it untenantable (Civ. Code § 1941). Repair and deduct: A tenant may make a repair the landlord neglects and deduct the cost from rent, up to one month's rent, no more than twice in any 12 months (Civ. Code § 1942(a)). Habitability and repair-and-deduct — the full state rule →

Landlord entry

CA state law Salinas has no rule of its own on this, so California law applies. Landlord entry notice: Reasonable written notice, presumed to be 24 hours, and entry only during normal business hours (Civ. Code § 1954(d)(1), (e)). Landlord entry notice in California — the full state rule →

Buyout agreements

Salinas code Yes; a written disclosure must be provided before initiating Buyout Negotiations and must include the Tenant's rights, attorney-consultation option, anti-retaliation protection, the repeated-offer harassment warning, relocation-assistance eligibility and amount, authorized representatives, tenant-assistance information, and signature/date spaces. Fully executed copy within three days; landlord must retain each signed disclosure form for five years.

All 9 Salinas rules on buyout agreements, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Hotel and short-term rental tax

Salinas code What Salinas's code adds
Stays not taxed	Stays of 29 days or more are exempt. Applies: Only when the rent for that stay is paid at one time. § 32-22 · code text Rent paid at one time for a period of occupancy of twenty-nine days or more shall be exempt.
Tax rate	An extra 3% of the rent, on top of the 7% base tax. Applies: Applies to hotel stays; in effect since July 1, 1984. § 32-22 · code text In addition to the tax set forth in subsection (a), for the privilege of occupancy in any hotel, each transient is subject to and shall pay a tax in the amount of three percent of the rent collected by the operator effective July 1, 1984. A base tax of 7% of the rent. Applies: Applies to hotel stays; an extra 3% tax is added on top. § 32-22 · code text each transient is subject to and shall pay a tax in the amount of seven percent of the rent collected by the operator.
Who collects it	The hotel operator collects the tax from the guest when the rent is paid. § 32-22 · code text The transient shall pay the tax to the operator of the hotel at the time the rent is paid.

Other Salinas rules on this

Salinas's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.

Anti-Harassment (Ch. 17, Art. IIC)

Who this affects

TenantsLandlordsProperty managers

Frequently asked questions

Does a Salinas landlord have to pay relocation?

Salinas's code: three months of actual Rent under the Tenant's Rental Housing Agreement in effect at the date of the notice (No-fault termination of units covered by the Just Cause Eviction and Tenant Protection article; regardless of income or tenancy length; relocation assistance is additional to refundable deposits.) (§ 17-02.54); No-fault termination for qualifying owner/family move-in or substantial repairs/demolition (Rental units covered by the Just Cause Eviction and Tenant Protection article; requirements of section 17-02.53(b) apply) (§ 17-02.54). State law: One month's rent (as relocation payment or rent waiver), paid within 15 calendar days of the notice (Civ. Code § 1946.2(d)(3)(A)).

How much can a Salinas landlord charge for a security deposit?

Salinas has no local rule on this that we found (checked October 2026); state law applies: One month's rent, on top of the first month's rent (Civ. Code § 1950.5(c)(1), (c)(6)).

What is the hotel tax on short-term rentals in Salinas?

Salinas's code: Stays of 29 days or more are exempt. (Only when the rent for that stay is paid at one time.) (§ 32-22); An extra 3% of the rent, on top of the 7% base tax. (Applies to hotel stays; in effect since July 1, 1984.) (§ 32-22).

General information, not legal advice.

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Salinas Municipal Code — full text

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