The California Apartment Association is urging the city of Larkspur to withdraw its rent registry requirement, arguing that the City Council never lawfully adopted the mandate.

Earlier this month, officials in Larkspur, a small city just north of San Francisco, mailed letters instructing rental housing providers to register their units and disclose detailed information, including the initial rent, current rent, maximum allowable rent, resident move-in date, and the date of the most recent rent increase. The letters also warned of penalties for those who do not comply. 

In a letter to city officials, the association emphasizes that municipal staff cannot impose new legal requirements without City Council authorization. The letter specifically states: 

“Nowhere in Chapter 6.20 of the Larkspur Municipal Code — the City’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance — is there any provision mandating, or even authorizing, the establishment of a rental registry,” the letter says.  “The ordinance is clear and the mandate to establish a rental registry cited in your correspondence simply does not exist.”  

The letter also highlights constitutional concerns, noting that threatening property owners with penalties for noncompliance raises significant due process issues. CAA argues the city’s actions effectively create legal obligations—and potential punishments—that are unsupported by existing laws. 

CAA calls on the city to immediately halt its enforcement efforts and rescind the letters sent to property owners. If city officials believe the registry is legally valid, the association asks them to identify the specific legal authority that supports it.