Santa Rosa Tenant Lawyers Serving Renters Across Sonoma County
Tobener Ravenscroft LLP’s Santa Rosa office is a trusted resource for tenant law claims throughout Sonoma County, including wrongful evictions, landlord harassment, failure to repair, nuisance neighbors, sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. With a 99% success rate in more than 2,000 cases over 20 years, Tobener Ravenscroft LLP is the leading tenant rights firm in California—and we only represent tenants, never landlords. If you rent in Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Windsor, Healdsburg, Sebastopol, or anywhere in Sonoma County, contact our office today by text, email, or telephone for an intake.
20
Years of Service
$100M
Recovered
99%
Success Rate
1000+
Five-star Reviews
Our Practice Areas
Our Mission is to lead the charge in obtaining justice and economic equity for California tenants who have experienced wrongful evictions, harassment, poor housing conditions, and discrimination.
Wrongful Eviction
If you’ve been forced out of your Santa Rosa home without proper legal process, you may have a wrongful eviction claim. Our Santa Rosa wrongful eviction attorneys represent tenants throughout Sonoma County, enforcing renter protections under the California Tenant Protection Act, the Sonoma County Residential Tenancy Protections Ordinance, and state law. As California’s largest tenant rights firm, we bring a 99% success rate and decades of experience to every case.
Constructive Evictions
When a landlord makes a rental unit unlivable—through neglect, disruption, or failure to provide essential services like heat, water, or working plumbing—tenants have the right to take legal action. Our attorneys handle constructive eviction cases in Santa Rosa and throughout Sonoma County, helping renters enforce their rights and recover compensation under California’s habitability laws.
Nuisance Neighbors
Landlords are legally required to address serious neighbor problems that affect your health, safety, or quiet enjoyment of your home. If you are facing persistent harassment or disturbances from another tenant, our Santa Rosa attorneys can help hold your landlord accountable under Sonoma County and California law for failing to resolve your nuisance neighbor situation.
Landlord Failure to Repair
Unsafe and unsanitary housing conditions are not only frustrating—they are against the law. Our firm represents Sonoma County tenants when landlords neglect their repair responsibilities. We have extensive experience enforcing Santa Rosa renters’ rights to safe and habitable homes, including mold, plumbing, heating, roof leaks, pest infestations, and smoke or fire damage that was never properly remediated.
Landlord Discrimination
Discrimination based on race, national origin, disability, gender, family status, source of income, or other protected categories is illegal. Our Santa Rosa office represents tenants in landlord discrimination cases throughout Sonoma County, pursuing legal action against landlords and property managers who violate California and federal fair housing protections.
Termination of Tenancy for Sale
Tenants have legal protections during and after the sale of a rental property, and many evictions in these situations are unlawful. If you have been told to move out because your Santa Rosa or Sonoma County rental is being sold, our attorneys can review your notice and help you fight back.
Failure to Offer Unit Back After Natural Disaster
Sonoma County renters know firsthand how wildfire, flood, and smoke damage can upend a tenancy. Tenants displaced by a disaster may have the right to return to their home once repairs are finished. If your landlord re-rented your unit, raised the rent, or never offered it back, our Santa Rosa tenant attorneys can help. We regularly handle these cases throughout the North Bay.
Landlord and Property Manager Harassment
Tenants should not face threats, intimidation, lockouts, utility shut-offs, or unlawful entries from their landlords. We represent renters in Santa Rosa landlord harassment cases, bringing claims in Sonoma County Superior Court to secure protection and compensation for tenants.
Termination of Tenancy for Owner Move-In (OMI)
Owner move-in evictions are tightly regulated and frequently misused to displace long-term, lower-rent tenants. If you have received an OMI or relative move-in notice in Santa Rosa or Sonoma County, our attorneys can evaluate whether the notice complies with state and county law, determine whether the eviction is unlawful, and defend your rights in court.
Landlord Retaliation
Retaliation—such as eviction threats or rent increases after you request repairs, report code violations to the City of Santa Rosa, or organize with your neighbors—is illegal. We represent tenants facing landlord retaliation in Santa Rosa, helping renters across Sonoma County challenge unlawful landlord conduct.
Tenant Buyout Negotiations
Landlords may offer tenants a cash buyout to move out, especially in long-term or below-market tenancies. Our Santa Rosa attorneys assist tenants in Sonoma County by maximizing compensation, negotiating fair terms, and protecting against deceptive or coercive tactics. Consult with us before signing any agreement.
Illegal Landlord Construction
Unpermitted or prolonged construction can interfere with your right to quiet enjoyment. Our Santa Rosa tenant attorneys represent renters in Sonoma County facing illegal renovations, disruptive projects, or unsafe conditions. We hold landlords accountable when construction is used to harass tenants or push them out.
Failure to Offer Unit Back After Repairs
Tenants temporarily displaced for major repairs may have the legal right to return once the work is finished. If your landlord re-rented your home or did not offer it back, you may be entitled to compensation. Our Santa Rosa attorneys regularly handle these cases throughout Sonoma County.
Sexual Harassment by Landlords, Property Managers, or Neighbors
Sexual harassment in housing is a serious civil rights violation that occurs more often than many tenants realize. Our Santa Rosa office pursues Sonoma County landlords who engage in harassment directly or fail to act when tenants report sexual misconduct by property managers or neighbors. We hold housing providers fully accountable under California and federal discrimination laws.
Full-Service Tenant Rights Law Firm
Tobener Ravenscroft LLP is the leading tenant rights law firm in California and has been in business for more than twenty years. With offices in Santa Rosa, San Anselmo, San Francisco, Walnut Creek, Oakland, San Jose, and Los Angeles, the firm focuses on wrongful evictions, intractable repair issues, landlord harassment, tenant discrimination, nuisance neighbors, landlord sexual harassment, and landlord-caused injuries.
The law firm has recovered more than $100 million on behalf of tenants. They have helped more than 20,000 tenants and have a 99% success rate. The firm has won two law firm of the year awards in California and has been featured in California Lawyer, UC Law SF Magazine, and the Daily Journal. Its lawyers are routinely quoted in leading publications, such as the San Francisco Chronicle, the New York Times, Wired, the Business Times, and Reuters. Both partners are Super Lawyers, an honor reserved for the top lawyers in California.
The firm is dedicated to community activism, hosting biannual trainings for housing and disability nonprofits. They routinely propose and draft legislation at the local and state level to enhance legal protections for tenants. The firm’s lawyers volunteer hundreds of hours each year to support the legal needs of local housing and homelessness nonprofits. The firm recently won the AIDS Legal Referral Panel law firm of the year award for its commitment to the community.
The firm’s attorneys are often asked to present at law schools, trial lawyer associations, and industry groups.
Sonoma County Tenant Protections
If you are a tenant in Sonoma County, you may have both rent-increase protections and eviction protections—but which ones apply depends on exactly where you live. Sonoma County has some of the highest rents in Northern California outside the urban core, and repeated wildfire disasters have pushed housing insecurity to the front of local politics. In response, the County of Sonoma adopted its own Residential Tenancy Protections Ordinance in 2024, layered on top of the statewide California Tenant Protection Act.
The result is a patchwork. Renters in unincorporated Sonoma County—places like Guerneville, Larkfield-Wikiup, Glen Ellen, Kenwood, Penngrove, and Bodega Bay—have county-level just-cause protections from the first day of their tenancy. Renters inside the City of Santa Rosa and the county’s other incorporated cities rely primarily on state law. Mobile home park residents have their own set of rules. Our Santa Rosa tenant lawyers explain each layer below, and we can tell you in one call which protections cover your home.
Lawyers For Renters In Sonoma County
Tobener Ravenscroft LLP never represents landlords. We are landlord-tenant attorneys for renters in Santa Rosa and Sonoma County, and more importantly, lawyers for renters only. We strive to lead the charge in obtaining economic equity for California renters who have been victims of injustice. From our Santa Rosa office we serve tenants across the North Bay, including Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Cotati, Windsor, Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Sebastopol, Sonoma, and neighboring Napa County.
Below you’ll find plain-language explanations of the tenant protection laws that apply in Sonoma County, published by our attorneys so renters can understand their rights and know when they can fight back. Our service area is not limited to the cities we write about, so please do not hesitate to contact us if you are a renter anywhere in Sonoma County seeking a tenant rights attorney. If you cannot afford a lawyer, Legal Aid of Sonoma County and the Sonoma County Tenants Union are also valuable community resources—and remember that we regularly take cases on contingency, with no upfront costs.
Rent Control In The City Of Santa Rosa
Many Santa Rosa renters ask us whether the city has rent control. The short answer is that the City of Santa Rosa does not currently have a local rent stabilization or just-cause eviction ordinance of its own. In 2016 the City Council adopted a Rent Stabilization and Other Tenant Protections Ordinance that would have capped annual rent increases at 3% and required just cause for eviction, but it was suspended by a referendum petition and then repealed by Santa Rosa voters in the June 2017 Measure C election before it ever took effect.
That does not mean Santa Rosa tenants are unprotected. Since January 1, 2020, the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482) has applied to most Santa Rosa apartments, duplexes, and corporate-owned single-family homes that are at least fifteen years old. Covered tenants may not have their rent raised more than 5% plus the local Consumer Price Index in any twelve-month period (never more than 10%), and once they have lived in the unit for twelve months a landlord may only end the tenancy for one of the just-cause reasons listed in the statute. No-fault evictions—owner move-in, substantial remodel, demolition, or withdrawal from the rental market—require relocation assistance equal to one month’s rent.
Because so many Santa Rosa buildings were constructed before 2011, a large share of the city’s renters are covered. Landlords frequently misstate or ignore these rules, particularly in single-family homes and condominiums where exemption depends on who owns the property and whether the exemption was properly disclosed in the lease. The same analysis applies to renters in Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Windsor, Healdsburg, Sebastopol, Cotati, Cloverdale, and the City of Sonoma, none of which have adopted their own rent caps or just-cause ordinances as of this writing.
If you have received a rent increase or a notice to vacate anywhere in Santa Rosa, speak with a Santa Rosa tenant lawyer before you respond. Tenants should also read our guide to the California Tenant Protection Act to determine whether their unit and tenancy are covered.
Sonoma County Residential Tenancy Protections Ordinance
Tenants who live in unincorporated Sonoma County—outside the city limits of Santa Rosa and the county’s eight other incorporated cities—have stronger protections than state law alone provides. On September 17, 2024, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors adopted the Residential Tenancy Protections Ordinance, which builds on the California Tenant Protection Act and closes several of its gaps. It covers communities such as Guerneville, Monte Rio, Forestville, Graton, Occidental, Bodega Bay, Penngrove, Larkfield-Wikiup, Geyserville, and the Sonoma Valley towns of Glen Ellen, Kenwood, Boyes Hot Springs, El Verano, and Agua Caliente.
Under the county ordinance, just-cause eviction protection begins on the first day of the tenancy rather than after twelve months, and it extends to deed-restricted and income-restricted affordable housing that state law exempts. A landlord may not evict for nonpayment unless the tenant owes more than one month’s rent (or has fallen short on more than two occasions in a year). When a landlord terminates a tenancy for a no-fault reason such as an owner move-in, the tenant is entitled to relocation assistance equal to the greater of the actual monthly rent or the fair market rent for the unit, paid within fifteen days of the notice. Termination notices must be filed with the County within three days of service, and a notice that does not strictly comply with the ordinance is void.
The ordinance also gives the Board of Supervisors the power to restrict evictions county-wide during a declared local state of emergency—a direct response to the displacement that followed the 2017 and 2019 wildfires. Importantly, a tenant who is wrongfully evicted in violation of the ordinance may sue the landlord for emotional distress damages, the lost value of the tenancy, return of rent, and other relief. Our Santa Rosa office litigates these claims in Sonoma County Superior Court.
Note that the county ordinance does not cap rent increases. Renters in unincorporated Sonoma County still look to the California Tenant Protection Act for rent-ceiling protection if their building is more than fifteen years old and otherwise qualifies. Tenants should speak with a tenant attorney and read our full guide to the Sonoma County Residential Tenancy Protections Ordinance to understand their rights.
Mobile Home Park Tenant Rights In Santa Rosa And Sonoma County
Sonoma County has one of the largest concentrations of mobile home parks in the Bay Area, and many park residents are seniors on fixed incomes. Because mobile homes are difficult and expensive to relocate, the California Mobilehome Residency Law gives park residents strict protections against eviction, and several Sonoma County jurisdictions—including the City of Santa Rosa and the County of Sonoma—have adopted local mobile home park rent stabilization ordinances that limit annual space-rent increases.
Park residents facing eviction, a space-rent increase above the allowable annual amount, a change in park rules, or pressure to sign a long-term lease that waives rent control should speak with a mobile home tenant attorney before agreeing to anything. You can reach our Santa Rosa office at 707-595-4105.
State Of California Rent And Eviction Control
Whether you live inside the City of Santa Rosa or in unincorporated Sonoma County, you may be covered under the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019, the state’s rent and eviction control law, if your building is at least fifteen years old and your tenancy and unit meet all other requirements under the law. Determining whether you are covered by the just-cause eviction protections and the rent increase limitations under the state’s law is a complicated analysis. Tenants should speak to a tenant lawyer and read our guide to determine whether they are covered under state law protections.
All tenants in California should keep in mind that regardless of what city they live in, the state has many laws that protect tenants. To learn more about some of the laws that protect tenants in Sonoma County and across California, please visit the following pages: Wrongful Eviction, Landlord Harassment and Retaliation, Landlord Entry, Housing Discrimination in California, Landlord’s Duty To Prevent Crime, Tenant Rights After A Natural Disaster, and Forcing Your Landlord to Make Repairs.
Tenants that have questions about their rights under local or state law should call Tobener Ravenscroft LLP’s Santa Rosa office at 707-595-4105 to speak with an attorney.
California’s Largest Tenant Law Firm
Our Mission is to lead the charge in obtaining justice and economic equity for California tenants who have experienced wrongful evictions, harassment, poor housing conditions, and discrimination.
Tenants Served
20,000+
Established
2001
5 Star Reviews
1000+
Team of
30+
Wrongful Eviction
If you’ve been pushed out of your home without legal cause, you may be entitled to compensation. Our Santa Rosa office helps tenants fight wrongful evictions throughout Sonoma County—whether the landlord skipped the just-cause requirements of state or county law, served a defective notice, used a sham owner move-in, or simply changed the locks. With more than 2,000 cases successfully litigated and a 99% success rate, we are the trusted choice for tenants who need help suing for wrongful eviction in Santa Rosa. We know how to maximize wrongful eviction damages, and we never defend landlords. Contact us to find out your options for pursuing a wrongful eviction claim.
Landlord Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment in housing is unlawful—and alarmingly common. Whether the harassment is coming from a landlord, property manager, on-site maintenance worker, or neighbor, tenants deserve immediate protection and legal recourse. Our landlord sexual harassment lawyers represent renters throughout Sonoma County who have experienced threats, coercion, or inappropriate conduct in their homes. We have litigated more than 2,000 tenant cases with a 99% success rate, and we never represent landlords. If you’re dealing with sexual harassment by a landlord in Santa Rosa or your landlord fails to act on complaints, we’re here to fight for your rights.
Failure To Offer Unit Back After A Natural Disaster
Santa Rosa and Sonoma County renters have lived through the Tubbs, Nuns, Kincade, and Glass fires, along with repeated Russian River flooding. When a rental is damaged and tenants are displaced, California law gives many of them the right to return once the unit is repaired—at the same rent and on the same terms. Landlords too often use a disaster as an excuse to renovate, re-rent at a higher price, or convert the property. Our Santa Rosa tenant attorneys represent displaced renters across Sonoma County in claims for the right to return, relocation costs, and damages. We only represent tenants, and we understand how a disaster followed by a lost home compounds the harm.
Failure To Repair
Tenants have a right to safe, habitable housing. If your landlord refuses to make essential repairs, you may be able to take legal action. Our Santa Rosa tenant attorneys enforce landlord repair obligations and help Sonoma County tenants secure the repairs, rent reductions, or relocation assistance they deserve—including in cases involving mold, failed heating, sewage backups, roof leaks, pests, and lingering smoke or fire damage. With more than 2,000 cases handled and a 99% success rate, we understand how to build strong claims for landlord failure to repair. We don’t represent landlords—ever. If your landlord refuses to repair dangerous conditions, please contact our Santa Rosa renters rights office today.
Termination Of Tenancy For Owner-Move-In (OMI)
Owner-move-in evictions are often misused to displace long-term tenants paying below-market rent. Our Santa Rosa office regularly enforces OMI rules on behalf of tenants throughout Sonoma County, including the notice, relocation, filing, and good-faith occupancy requirements under the California Tenant Protection Act and the Sonoma County ordinance. We help renters protect their housing when a landlord falsely claims they or a relative needs to move in—and we pursue damages when the “owner” never actually moves in. If you’re unsure about your rights in regard to a landlord move-in eviction, please contact us today for a consultation.
Landlord And Property Manager Harassment
Harassment from a landlord or property manager—whether it’s verbal abuse, threats, repeated unannounced entries, utility shut-offs, or privacy violations—is illegal. Our Santa Rosa office handles landlord harassment cases across Sonoma County. We’ve represented thousands of renters and have a 99% success rate across more than 2,000 cases. If you’re experiencing landlord or property manager harassment in Santa Rosa, we’ll help you take action quickly and confidentially. We never represent landlords, only tenants.
Landlord And Property Manager Retaliation
Landlords are prohibited from punishing tenants for asserting their rights—like requesting repairs, calling Santa Rosa Code Enforcement, contacting the County’s tenant protections program, or joining a tenant union. If you’re facing landlord or property manager retaliation, we can help. Our Santa Rosa office files claims on behalf of tenants throughout Sonoma County. We’ve handled more than 2,000 cases with a 99% success rate and never represent landlords. If you’re wondering how to sue a landlord or property manager for retaliation in Sonoma County, please contact our Santa Rosa tenant office today.
Tenant Buyout Negotiations
Tenants often receive cash buyout offers from landlords looking to free up long-term or below-market units—but those offers are rarely in the tenant’s best interest. Our Santa Rosa office helps renters across Sonoma County evaluate offers, negotiate higher payments, and understand what they are giving up. With a 99% success rate and more than 2,000 tenant cases handled, we know how to help renters leverage their tenancy for the maximum possible payout. We never represent landlords. If you’ve received a buyout proposal, contact us before signing anything—we can help you turn it into a win.
Illegal Landlord Construction
Construction projects are often misused to drive tenants out—whether it’s disruptive noise, unsafe conditions, or a failure to follow notice and permit rules. Our Santa Rosa tenant lawyers represent renters who are harassed or displaced by illegal construction. If your landlord started renovations without permits from the City of Santa Rosa or Permit Sonoma, failed to provide relocation assistance for a “substantial remodel,” or created unsafe living conditions, you may be entitled to compensation. We’ve handled thousands of tenant cases and never represent landlords. Contact our office to fight back against construction harassment.
Failure To Offer Unit Back After Repairs
If you had to leave your home for repairs and your landlord never gave you the chance to return, they may have violated California housing law. Tenants in Santa Rosa and throughout Sonoma County have legal rights when displaced for temporary repairs. Our attorneys represent renters in lawsuits against landlords who re-rent units without first offering them back to the original tenant. With a 99% success rate, we help clients recover lost housing and financial compensation. We only represent tenants—and we’re ready to help you get justice.
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20,000 Tenants Served
Tobener Ravenscroft LLP has helped more than 20,000 tenants win disputes against landlords, property managers, and municipalities. Our knowledge of the intricacies of local tenant laws is unmatched. We litigate aggressively, maximize leverage, and have a 99% success rate.
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Tenant Protection Laws In Other North Bay Areas
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