In Mountain View, the build date of an apartment building decides almost everything about its rent roll. Before February 1, 1995 means the city's annual cap applies. Built through late 2016 means eviction protections without the cap. Check the date and the registration status before you underwrite a building. On the single-family side, SB 9 and ADUs together can get an R1 lot to four units.
Adding an ADU
In Mountain View
State law, everywhere in California
A city has 60 days to approve or deny a complete ADU or junior ADU (JADU) permit application.[2]
Lot coverage, floor area ratio, and front setback rules can't be used to block an ADU of at least 800 square feet with four-foot side and rear setbacks.[2]
A city can't set a height limit below 16 feet for a detached ADU, or below 18 feet within a half mile of a major transit stop or high-quality transit corridor. Attached ADUs can go to 25 feet or the main home's zoning height, whichever is lower.[2]
A JADU is up to 500 square feet of interior space inside the main home. Owner occupancy can't be required for an ADU, but it is required for a JADU that shares a bathroom with the main home.[2]
No impact fees on an ADU of 750 square feet or less. Above that, fees have to be proportional to the main home.[2]
On a lot with an existing apartment building, state law allows up to eight detached ADUs (never more than the number of existing units), plus conversions of non-living space.[2]
Lot splits and second homes
In Mountain View
State law (SB 9)
SB 9 applies to lots zoned single-family. It allows two primary homes on one lot, a split into two lots, or both, with staff-level approval and no public hearing.[4]
Local rules can't stop two homes of at least 800 square feet each, or a split into two lots of at least 1,200 square feet. Side and rear setbacks are capped at four feet.[4]
Parking is capped at one space per unit, and none can be required within a half mile walk of a high-quality transit corridor or major transit stop, or within a block of a car-share vehicle.[4]
To split a lot, you sign an affidavit that you intend to live in one of the units as your main home for at least three years. Any rental has to be for more than 30 days.[4]
SB 9 doesn't apply if the project would demolish or alter rent-restricted housing, rent-controlled housing, or housing a tenant has lived in during the last three years. It also excludes historic properties, lots with an Ellis Act withdrawal in the last 15 years, lots already created by an SB 9 split, and lots next to one the same owner split.[4]
The ceiling is four units total. After a split, the city has to allow two units on each new lot. The city must decide on a complete application within 60 days.[4]
Rent control and AB 1482
In Mountain View
The Community Stabilization and Fair Rent Act (CSFRA) provides rent stabilization for most apartment buildings with 3 or more units built before February 1, 1995, and eviction protections for most 3-plus-unit buildings built before December 23, 2016.[5]
The 2026 Annual General Adjustment is 2.5%, for September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027.[6]
A landlord can apply the adjustment only if 12 months have passed since the last increase, the property is registered and its fees are paid, and the owner is otherwise in compliance.[6]
State law (AB 1482)
Under the Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482), rent can't go up more than 5% plus the change in the cost of living, or 10%, whichever is lower, in a 12-month period.[7]
After a tenant has lived in a unit for 12 months, the landlord needs a listed reason to end the tenancy, either at-fault (like nonpayment) or no-fault (like owner move-in or a substantial remodel).[7]
Exempt: units with a certificate of occupancy issued in the last 15 years (a rolling date), single-family homes not owned by a corporation or REIT, a duplex where the owner lives in the other unit, and units already under a stricter local rent control law.[7]
What is your Mountain View home worth, and what could it become?
I spent my career on the investment side, helping operate more than 7,000 units. I'll give you a valuation built from recent sales, and a straight read on what your lot allows: an ADU, a split, or neither.
Mountain View questions, answered
What is the allowed rent increase in Mountain View for 2026?+
2.5% for CSFRA-covered units, for September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027.[6]
Which Mountain View buildings are rent stabilized?+
Most apartment buildings with 3 or more units built before February 1, 1995. Most 3-plus-unit buildings built before December 23, 2016 get eviction protections.[5]
How many units can go on a Mountain View R1 lot?+
Up to four, by combining SB 9 with the city's ADU and JADU standards.[3]
- [1]City of Mountain View, “Accessory Dwelling Units”
- [2]California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), “ADU Handbook (March 2026 update)”
- [3]City of Mountain View, “DUO Developments and Urban Lot Splits”
- [4]California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), “Housing Law Fact Sheet: Duplexes and Lot Splits (SB 9), April 2026”
- [5]City of Mountain View, “Rent Stabilization: Information for Landlords”
- [6]City of Mountain View, “Rent and Allowed Rent Increases”
- [7]California Attorney General, “Landlord-Tenant Issues: Tenant Protection Act”
Official Mountain View pages
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change, and cities amend their codes after state reviews. Confirm current requirements with the city and a qualified professional before you buy, build, or change a tenancy. Erica Walters, REALTOR®, CalDRE# 02239622, Compass.