Across the hall from the Student Legal Clinic is Renters' Legal Assistance, a student group that specializes in rental issues. We suggest that you visit them for your rental problems, but here is some information that you may find helpful. The Landlord's Duties Subleases Rent Control General laws mandate that rent cannot be increased during a fixed-term lease unless the lease allows for it. A rent increase is invalid if the landlord imposed it in order to retaliate against you because you exercised some legal right, such as complaining about the condition of the building. A rent increase is also invalid if the landlord imposed it in order to discriminate against you on the basis of race, sex, children, or any other prohibited reason.
Rent control is a local phenomenon.
Berkeley, for example, has instituted rent control ordinances for its student community and has some of California's best rent control laws from a tenant's point of view. Because inflation is presently low, this increase also tends to be low. A landlord who increases rent by a greater percentage faces civil penalties, unless the board has allowed an additional increase following the landlord's application. The burden of justifying a higher than routinely-allowable rent increase is entirely on the landlord. The city of Berkeley also allows tenants to petition for lower rents based on landlord's failure to maintain or repair rental units.