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In the midst of a severe housing and homelessness crisis in San Diego, there is a concerning issue arising. Hundreds of apartments in the city are being designated for tourists, making them unavailable to local residents. These units are being listed on short-term vacation rental sites, which is allowed under the city’s Short Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) ordinance. The intention of this law was to increase the availability of long-term rentals and address the housing crisis. Unfortunately, many of these licensed properties are located in neighborhoods that are typically rented long-term by locals, not tourists seeking short-term accommodations.

To shed light on this problem, Jay Goldberg, a self-proclaimed short-term rental compliance watchdog, has spent months analyzing housing and short-term rental data. Through the city’s short-term rental license database and the county’s property parcel data, he has identified at least 273 buildings in San Diego where 50% or more of the units are licensed for vacation rentals. Goldberg shares his findings on a website called www.niceneighbors.org. His concern lies in a few individuals enriching themselves at the expense of everyone else, a situation that many people may not even recognize.

NBC 7 Investigates has also analyzed the data to verify Goldberg’s findings, and they too discovered numerous apartments with 100% of their units licensed as vacation rentals. These apartments are scattered throughout various neighborhoods in the city, including North Park, University Heights, Mission Hills, Crown Point, Ocean Beach, and Pacific Beach. However, it is possible that Goldberg’s findings may underestimate the scope of the problem. San Diego County’s property data often lists buildings with multiple units as having only one unit or even zero units, indicating a potential discrepancy in the accuracy of the data. The Property Assessor’s Office acknowledges this issue and is working to correct and update their parcel data.

A significant concern raised by Goldberg is that landlords can make double or triple the income they would receive from monthly rents by charging premium rates for short-term vacation rentals. This creates a disadvantage for local residents who are now competing with tourists for available housing. Marcos Ramirez, a member of the Tenant Councils of San Diego, asserts that San Diegans are being pushed out of the city and into eviction. However, tracking the true number of displaced tenants is challenging because many would rather leave than risk an eviction on their record. Ramirez receives daily emails from renters who have been told to vacate their homes, and an increasing number of these properties have already been listed as vacation rentals.

AirDNA, a company that analyzes vacation rentals on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO, has found that 60% of all active listings in San Diego are one or two-bedroom rentals. This data reinforces the concern that larger, family-oriented housing options are being converted into short-term rentals, further exacerbating the housing crisis.

Despite the findings and concerns raised by community members, city officials have been elusive in addressing this issue. Councilmember Jennifer Campbell, who spearheaded the STRO ordinance, declined an interview request and provided a generic statement stating her commitment to working with relevant city departments. Other councilmembers and Mayor Todd Gloria also declined interview requests. This lack of response only adds to the frustration felt by those witnessing the negative effects of the STRO ordinance.

In addition to the issues outlined above, previous investigations have revealed loopholes and flaws in San Diego’s STRO ordinance. One property owner was able to obtain 114 short-term rental licenses in Ocean Beach alone by utilizing friends and family as hosts, exploiting a gap in the law. The city treasurer’s office, responsible for processing applications, has also been found to grant multiple licenses to the same hosts, which is strictly prohibited by the ordinance.

The implications of the situation are significant. The availability of long-term rentals for San Diego residents is diminishing, and the housing crisis is being exacerbated by the growing number of apartments converted into short-term vacation rentals. These issues require urgent attention and a comprehensive solution. One potential tool to address this problem is the AI legalese decoder. This AI-powered system can analyze and interpret complex legal documents and ordinances related to short-term rentals. By inputting the STRO ordinance into the AI legalese decoder, policymakers, community advocates, and residents can gain a clearer understanding of its implications, identify loopholes, and propose necessary amendments to protect the housing rights of San Diegans. This technology can provide a valuable resource for those seeking to hold city officials accountable and find ways to address the housing crisis effectively.

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