How San Diego Is Dealing With Growing Affordability Issues

Nat Kunes

San Diego is has joined Los Angeles and San Francisco on the list of the most expensive apartment markets in the country, according to a new national report from AppFolio and ALN. In Los Angeles and San Francisco, the high rents have resulted in community debates over affordable housing, development and rent control. Now that San Diego has joined the list, the market may be headed down a similar road. San Diego renters are already showing upset over the increased rents, with a recent rental survey from Apartment List giving apartment affordability a D rating.

“All of these top cities are having affordability issues, and they are starting to garner the attention of state and local governments to solve the affordable housing needs,” Nat Kunes, VP of product management at AppFolio, tells GlobeSt.com. “Because there aren’t a lot of local programs for affordable housing, people are using Section 8 vouchers and housing choice vouchers to supplement. We are seeing a lot of restrictions on new construction. For example, every new apartment building that gets built, a certain percentage of the units have to be designated as affordable. We are seeing a lot of new construction fall under those guidelines in some cities, and I suspect the San Diego will follow.”