Homes for San Diegans: Support the Empty Homes Proposal
San Diego City Council
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San Diego’s housing crisis has gone on too long — and working families are paying the price.
Right now, more than 5,000 homes in the City of San Diego are not used as primary residences and are not rented long-term. These homes sit vacant for much of the year while families struggle to find housing they can afford.
That’s not fair — and it’s not sustainable.
That’s why Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera is bringing forward the Empty Homes Tax proposal — a fair, common-sense measure that encourages vacant homes to return to the housing market and ensures those who choose to keep them empty contribute fairly to the city we all rely on.
How the Empty Homes Tax Works:
The Empty Homes Tax returns housing to San Diegans by discouraging homes from sitting vacant. This measure applies only to homes that:
- Are not the owner’s primary residence
- Sit vacant for more than half the year
- Are not rented long-term
Owners have a choice:
- Rent the home to San Diegans
- Sell the home to San Diegans
- Or contribute fairly to city services if they choose to keep it vacant
This is about increasing housing access — not punishing homeowners.
What the Empty Homes Tax Will Do:
- Returns Homes to the Market: Encourages vacant homes to be rented or sold to San Diegans.
- Promotes Fairness: Ensures those who choose to warehouse housing contribute to the impacts of removing homes from the market.
- Includes Exemptions & Safeguards: Protects legitimate homeowners and accounts for hardship, military service, disaster damage, probate, long-term care, and other qualifying circumstances.
- Raises Revenue for Essential Services: Estimated to generate up to $51 million annually for the City’s General Fund to support housing, infrastructure, and core services.
- Targets Corporate Hoarding: Includes an additional surcharge for corporate-owned empty homes.
The overwhelming majority of San Diegans will not be affected.
Why This Matters
Our city has made painful cuts to neighborhood services just to balance the budget. Meanwhile, some investors and absentee property owners are holding homes vacant during a housing shortage.
When homes are removed from the market:
- Housing costs rise
- Neighborhood stability declines
- Working families are pushed out
If you can afford to keep a second home empty during a housing crisis, you can afford to contribute fairly to the community impacted by that decision.
Homes should be for people — not warehoused during a shortage.
Add Your Name to Support This Policy
Let’s send a message loud and clear:
- Homes should be for PEOPLE, NOT PROFIT
- San Diego should work FOR San Diegans
➡️ Add your name today to support a focused, fair policy that keeps homes in our neighborhoods and strengthens our city’s future.
Together, we can build a San Diego where families can put down roots — not just compete with empty houses.
Petition by
To:
San Diego City Council
From:
[Your Name]
Dear Councilmembers,
I’m writing to urge you to support the Empty Homes Tax, a focused and fair measure that will help keep homes in San Diego available for the people who live and work here.
Thousands of homes in our city sit vacant for much of the year while working families, seniors, and young people struggle to find housing they can afford. That is not sustainable, and it is not fair.
The Empty Homes Tax encourages vacant homes to return to the market and ensures that owners who choose to keep homes empty contribute fairly to the city services we all depend on — including housing, infrastructure, and public safety.
Please stand with San Diego residents and support this measure. It’s time to prioritize housing for people, not vacant properties.