Why this matters
San Diego officials are grappling with an ongoing affordability and housing crisis.
By Cody Dulaney, inewsource investigative reporter
The San Diego City Council took the first step in passing a new law Monday that prohibits property owners from overcharging residential tenants for city-provided utilities.
The city already charges property owners for water, stormwater and trash collection, and landlords can pass those charges onto tenants living in the property. But landlords would be prohibited from charging their tenants more than the bill, including fees for third-party billing services. The law also grants tenants the right to review a copy of the landlord’s utility bill to ensure transparency.
The council voted 8-0 to approve the new law — known as the residential tenant utility charges ordinance — with Councilmember Jennifer Campbell absent during the decision. Following a second public meeting and the mayor’s signature, the new law could take effect as soon as July or August.
“San Diego is in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, and families across our city are doing everything they can to stay afloat,” said Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, who championed the issue, in a press release. “The last thing tenants should have to worry about is being ripped off for essential services like water. This ordinance is about fairness, transparency, and making sure San Diego works for the people who live here — not just those looking to profit off them.”
Half of the city’s housing supply consists of rental units that are nearly full, driving up rents.
The average asking rent in San Diego is $3,096, according to a Zillow analysis. Nationwide, the average asking rent is $2,024. Consumers in San Diego also experience higher inflation compared to the rest of the nation: San Diego’s CPI was 3.8% in March, compared to 2.4% nationwide.
Several residents and housing advocates attended the meeting and thanked the City Council for taking up this issue.
On the other hand, some characterized the move as an attempt to strip people of their property rights. One man said this law would place an administrative burden on those who only own a few properties, and asked the city to consider an exemption for landlords with fewer than 10 units.
“While I do understand some of the concerns (from) landlords,” Elo-Rivera said after public comment, “I will say that the inconveniences of owning multiple properties pale in comparison to the inconveniences that are faced by those living paycheck to paycheck.”
From the Documenters
This story came from follow-up reporting on notes taken by Simon Mayeski, a San Diego Documenter, at a city of San Diego Environment Committee meeting last month. The Documenters program trains and pays community members to document what happens at public meetings.
Type of Content
Brief: An account of a public government proceeding, written and edited by the San Diego Documenters.