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San Diego council votes 8–1 to place 'empty homes' tax on June ballot after lengthy debate
Summary
After presentations by council staff, the city treasurer and the IBA and more than 50 public speakers, San Diego’s City Council voted 8–1 to place an empty homes tax measure on the June 2, 2026 ballot; the measure would tax homes vacant more than 182 days with higher surcharges for corporate owners.
The San Diego City Council voted 8–1 on March 3 to place an "empty homes" tax measure on the June 2, 2026 special election ballot after a full-day presentation and more than an hour of public comment. The proposal, put forward by Councilmember Elo (Ilo) Rivera, would create a progressive excise tax on residential units left vacant for more than 182 days a year, with higher surcharges for corporate owners.
Deputy Chief of Staff Maya Rosas outlined the measure’s mechanics: an $8,000 annual tax per empty home beginning in 2027, rising to $10,000 in 2028, with CPI adjustments from 2029 onward; a corporate surcharge of $4,000 in 2027 ($5,000 in 2028) would be assessed on corporate-owned empty homes. Rosas cited treasurer data identifying roughly 5,140 candidate units, concentrated in Downtown, La Jolla, Pacific Beach and Peninsula.
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