San Diego City Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera and San Diego County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Monica Montgomery Steppe will Wednesday reveal a joint ordinance intended to protect renters from "junk fees" that drive up the cost of housing.
The Residential Rental Price Gouging, Fee Exploitation, and Cost Transparency Ordinance is a collaborative city-county effort which would cap rental fees beyond monthly rent, ban exploitative add-on charges and "require landlords to clearly disclose the true cost of renting."
"Together, these reforms aim to promote fairness, transparency, and accountability in San Diego's housing market," a statement from Elo-Rivera and Montgomery Steppe read.
Close to half of San Diegans rent, and -- according to census data released last year -- around 30% of county residents spend more than half their paychecks on housing.
"In addition to high rents, many tenants face a growing number of unnecessary and deceptive fees -- from processing and "convenience" charges to arbitrary add-ons that make housing even more unaffordable, the statement reads.
Specifically, the ordinance would:
- Cap rental fees beyond monthly rent at no more than 5% of rent
- Ban fees for basic services that make homes livable, such as pest control or trash collection
- Require full disclosure of all rental costs in listings and lease agreements
- Protect applicants and tenants from duplicate or excessive screening and processing fees
- Eliminate monthly pet fees
Following the news conference, Elo-Rivera will introduce the proposal at the San Diego City Council's Select Committee on Addressing Cost of Living on Thursday at 9 a.m.