Housing and Landlords

Listed below are resources to help California landlords and tenants understand their rights and responsibilities.  Links to affordable and Section 8 housing and homeless shelters and food programs are also included.

Landlord/Tenants Rights & Responsibilities

HUD Tenant Rights and Responsibilities Portal

This portal has resources for tenant rights, laws and protections for California and all states.  Click on California State Landlord/Tenant Laws which will direct you to the California Department of Consumer Affairs website.  Here you will find an electronic version of the publication, California Tenants: A Guide to Residential Tenants’ and Landlords’ Rights and Responsibilities which explains landlord and tenant law for California.

Resources for Oakland Rental Issues from the Community and Economic Development Agency

This website provides information about the Rent Adjustment Program, Rent Program Service Fees, Maximum Allowable Rent Increase, Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance, Rental Assistance Program, and Assistance to Find Affordable Housing. Click on any of these topics for more information.

Housing

Housing Authority for the County of Alameda

On this site you will find rental listings and information about Section 8 housing for both renters and landlords.  Section 8 applications are available at this site during open enrollment periods.  The following link, http://alameda.gosection8.com/, will take you the Section 8 Rental Directory which lists affordable housing in Alameda County.  The listing is searchable by zip code, city or neighborhood, and maximum price.

Housing Choices for Alameda County

This website provides a searchable database to help locate affordable housing options within Alameda County.  The database allows for searching by maximum monthly rent and city. 

To search the Affordable Housing Database:

  • Begin by entering your monthly rent and city and click enter.  This will show you a listing of available housing. 
  • In this section you can also narrow your search by building type, including Section 8 housing. 
  • This section also allows you to enter your monthly household income and the number of people in your household to determine which affordable housing options are available to you.

Oakland Housing Authority

This site provides information on Conventional Public Housing and Section 8 housing. 

To find Section 8 listings, click on Rental Listing on the right side of the page or enter the following address http://ohapd.gosection8.com/.

To find information about Conventional Public Housing, click on Public Housing at the top of the page.

Please note that Section 8 applications for Oakland are only accepted during designated timeframes.

HUD Foreclosure Counseling

This link takes you to information regarding HUD Approved Housing Counselors who can help you with buying a home, renting, defaults, foreclosure, credit issues, and reverse mortgages.

Homeless Shelters and Food Programs

City of Oakland Homelessness and Hunger Programs

The city of Oakland partners with nonprofits to assist people who are homeless or facing homelessness.  This website explains the goals of the Homeless and Hunger Programs.

If you are searching for homeless shelters:

  • Click on Homeless Program.
  • Scroll down to Helping the Homeless.
  • Continue to scroll to the bottom of this section. 
  • Click on Find Information About Oakland Shelters for a listing.

If you are searching for food services:

  • Click on Hunger Program
  • Scroll down until you reach the section, The Hunger Program. 
  • Click on the link for Brown Bag Distribution for a listing of food distribution sites.