Cal. Civ. Code § 213
Voluntary participation by local governments outside the city of New York
Operative Text
* § 213. Voluntary participation by local governments outside the city of New York. 1. Applicability. This article shall apply in any village, town, or a city, other than the city of New York, that, acting through its local legislative body, adopts the provisions of this article by local law. 2. Opt-in by a village, town, or city, other than the city of New York. A village, town, or city that adopts the provisions of this article by local law pursuant to subdivision one of this section may: (a) provide that any unit on or within a housing accommodation shall be exempt from the provisions of this article if such unit has a monthly rent above a percent of fair market rent, as published by the United States department of housing and urban development and as shall be published for each county in the state by the division of housing and community renewal pursuant to subdivision fifteen of section two hundred fourteen of this article, that shall be established in the local law adopted pursuant to subdivision one of this section, provided that if such local law does not establish such percent of fair market rent, any unit on or within a housing accommodation with a monthly rent greater than two hundred forty-five percent of such fair market rent shall be exempt from the provisions of this article; and/or (b) define "small landlord" as a landlord of no more than any number of units in the state that the village, town, or city enacts by local law, provided that if such local law does not define "small landlord," a "small landlord" shall mean a landlord of no more than ten units in the state. 3. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, if a town and a village within such town both adopt the provisions of this article by local law pursuant to subdivision one of this section, the local law adopted by such town shall not apply within the territorial limits of a village within such town. 4. Nothing in this section shall permit a village, town, or city to which this article applies to preempt or alter the terms and provisions of this article within such village, town or city. 5. Within thirty days of receipt of a local law adopted pursuant to subdivision one of this section, and filed with the department of state pursuant to section twenty-seven of the municipal home rule law, the department of state shall notify the division of housing and community renewal of such adoption. 6. The division of housing and community renewal shall include in the annual publication required pursuant to subdivision seven of section two hundred eleven of this article a list including any village, town, or city, other than the city of New York, as to which the division of housing and community renewal has received the notice from the department of state required pursuant to subdivision five of this section indicating that such village, town, or city has adopted a local law pursuant to subdivision one of this section to apply the provisions of this article within such village, town, or city. Such list shall include the name of each village, town, or city that has adopted such a local law, the applicable fair market rent threshold within such village, town, or city for exemption from the provisions of this article established pursuant to paragraph (a) of subdivision two of this section, and the applicable definition of small landlord within such village, town, or city established pursuant to paragraph (b) of subdivision two of this section. * NB Repealed June 15, 2034
N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 213 establishes a voluntary opt-in mechanism by which villages, towns, and cities outside New York City can bring themselves under the state's rent regulation article by passing a local law through their legislative body. Once a locality opts in, it may customize two specific parameters: the fair market rent threshold above which individual units are exempt from regulation (defaulting to 245% of HUD-published fair market rent if not locally specified), and the maximum number of units that defines a 'small landlord' (defaulting to ten units statewide if not locally specified). Overlapping jurisdictions are addressed by a rule that a town's local law does not reach into any village within that town that has separately opted in. The provision is currently set to expire on June 15, 2034.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating outside New York City should first determine whether their village, town, or city has adopted a local law under N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 213, since the rent regulation article only applies in localities that have affirmatively opted in. Compliant operators generally track the specific fair market rent exemption threshold and small-landlord definition enacted by their locality, as these figures govern which units and which owners fall within the article's scope. The Division of Housing and Community Renewal publishes an annual list of opted-in localities along with their applicable thresholds, which operators generally consult to confirm their current regulatory status.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 213, tenants living outside New York City are covered by the state rent regulation article only if their specific village, town, or city has passed a local opt-in law — meaning protections are not automatic statewide. Tenants can check whether their locality has opted in by consulting the Division of Housing and Community Renewal's annual published list, which also identifies the local fair market rent exemption threshold and small-landlord definition that determine the scope of coverage. Tenants who believe they may be entitled to protections under this article, or who have questions about whether their unit qualifies, can reach out to their local rent board (if one exists), a tenant-rights organization, or a housing attorney for general information about available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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