Berkeley CHAPTER 18 RENTAL RESIDENTIAL HOUSING CODE § 10-18-12
PENALTIES
Operative Text
A. Any owner, property agent, occupant or person who fails to comply with any section of this chapter applicable thereto, and continues in this failure after due notice and opportunity to correct, given pursuant to this chapter, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for each day each section of this code is violated after expiration of the time for correction of the violations. B. Nothing in this chapter shall prevent the village from taking any other legal or equitable remedies available to the village, including any emergency action permitted by law when any portion of the rental residential building is a danger to persons or property. (2016 Code)
Berkeley CHAPTER 18 RENTAL RESIDENTIAL HOUSING CODE § 10-18-12 establishes a daily fine structure for anyone—owner, property agent, occupant, or other person—who fails to comply with the chapter's requirements and does not correct the violation after receiving proper notice and a correction period. Fines range from $100 to $1,000 for each day each code section remains violated past the correction deadline. The provision also preserves the municipality's ability to pursue other legal or equitable remedies, including emergency action when a building poses a danger to people or property.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 10-18-12, compliant property owners and managers treat any notice of violation as a time-sensitive matter, acting promptly within the correction window to avoid daily fines that can accumulate between $100 and $1,000 per violated section per day. Operators generally document all corrective steps taken—repairs completed, inspections scheduled, communications with the city—so there is a clear record that the violation was addressed before the correction deadline expired. Because the provision also allows the city to pursue emergency legal or equitable remedies for dangerous conditions, maintaining habitable and safe conditions at all times is the baseline expectation for rental residential properties in Berkeley.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
§ 10-18-12 signals that Berkeley takes code compliance seriously: owners who ignore violations after notice face escalating daily fines, and the city retains authority to pursue additional legal remedies or emergency action when a building is unsafe. Tenants who believe their rental unit has unaddressed code violations may contact the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board or the relevant city code-enforcement office to report conditions and inquire about the notice-and-correction process described in this chapter. Tenant-rights organizations in Berkeley can also help residents understand how documented code violations may be relevant to habitability claims or other housing matters.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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