Measure A FAQ: Why Renters Should Be Concerned Too

Measure A is being sold as a policy to help renters.

But San Diego renters should read the fine print.

Measure A may not directly tax renters. The tax is imposed on property owners.

But that does not mean renters are protected from the consequences.

When City Hall creates a new $10,000 tax on housing, adds new compliance costs, requires new paperwork, and gives the City power to track occupancy, renters will still get dragged into the mess.

That is why renters should be concerned too and we believe, vote No on Measure A.

Higher Housing Costs Do Not Help Renters

San Diego renters already pay too much.

So why would City Hall respond by creating a new tax on housing?

Measure A would impose a tax of $8,000 in 2027 and $10,000 in later years on all housing units the City decides are “empty.”

Supporters of Measure A would have you believe they can add tens of millions of taxes on housing, and expect that those costs will simply disappear.

They will not.

If landlords or housing providers face new taxes, new paperwork, new audits, new legal costs, or new penalties, those costs will ripple through the housing market.

That will mean higher rents.

It will mean higher fees.

It will mean tighter lease terms.

It will mean less flexibility for tenants whose living situations do not fit neatly into City Hall’s paperwork rules.

A tax on housing is not a rent-relief plan.

No Guaranteed Affordable Housing Money

Measure A is also being sold as a way to fund housing programs.

But Measure A does not create a dedicated affordable housing fund.

The money can go into the City’s General Fund.

City Hall politicians tried to claim Measure A provided guaranteed funding for housing programs, but that was a lie. A judge even had to order them to stop saying that in official ballot materials.

Renters should ask a simple question:

If Measure A is really about helping renters, why doesn’t it guarantee the money will go to rent relief, affordable housing, or homelessness programs?

The answer is because Measure A was written to give City Hall more moner — not to guarantee renters results.

Renters’ Private Information Could Be Pulled Into the System

Measure A creates another problem renters should care about: privacy.

To avoid the tax, property owners may have to prove that a unit was leased under a valid lease for occupancy.

That mean landlords will likely asked to provide documentation to the City.

Leases.

Rent records.

Occupancy information.

Tenant records.

Other proof the City decides to require later.

That means renters who are not the target of the tax could still have their housing information pulled into the City’s enforcement system.

Measure A does not just create a tax.

It creates an occupancy bureaucracy.

And renters will become part of it.

Landlords May Start Asking More Questions

Measure A uses phrases like “bona fide lease for occupancy.”

But the measure does not fully explain what proof will be required to show a lease qualifies.

That uncertainty could make landlords more cautious and more intrusive.

A landlord worried about a $10,000 tax may start asking more questions:

Are you actually living there?

How long will you be gone?

Do you travel often?

Can you document occupancy?

Will you cooperate if the City asks for records?

That kind of pressure is bad for renters.

Students, military families, traveling workers, caregivers, people with split custody, and tenants with unusual schedules could all face more scrutiny because landlords are trying to protect themselves from Measure A.

Measure A Could Create More Landlord-Tenant Conflict

If the owner has the burden of proving a unit is not taxable, landlords will almost definitely try to push some of that burden onto tenants.

Future leases could include new clauses requiring tenants to certify occupancy, report long absences, provide documents, or cooperate with audits.

That creates more friction between landlords and renters.

And for what?

Measure A does not guarantee lower rents.

It does not guarantee new affordable homes.

It does not guarantee dedicated rent relief.

It creates a new City Hall enforcement system and hopes the benefits somehow follow.

Renters Need Real Housing Solutions

San Diego renters deserve real solutions.

More housing.

Lower costs.

More accountability.

Faster approvals.

More efficient government.

Actual housing dollars that are protected for housing.

Measure A does not deliver that.

It creates a new tax on homes, sends the money to the General Fund, and gives City Hall broad authority to decide later how the system will work.

That is not a renter protection plan.

That is a tax bureaucracy.

Renters Should Vote No Too

Measure A is bad for homeowners.

It is bad for housing providers.

And yes — it is bad for renters too.

Because higher housing costs, more paperwork, privacy risks, stricter lease terms, and another City Hall bureaucracy are not what San Diego renters need.

Renters need housing that is more affordable, not a new tax that makes housing more complicated and expensive.

Renters should vote No on Measure A.

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