Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes!

This week, San Diego city and county officials introduced one of the most damaging housing ordinances I’ve seen in years - the Residential Rental Price Gouging, Fee Exploitation, and Cost Transparency Ordinance.

If passed, it would limit what housing providers can charge for basic operational costs like parking, pest control, trash, pets, and even late fees - painting them as “junk fees.”

This isn’t just bad policy. It’s a direct hit to every responsible housing provider in our city. And if it moves forward, it could set a dangerous precedent across California.

What This Ordinance Would Do

Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s in the proposal:

• Cap all add-on fees including parking, pest control, and trash - at 5% of monthly rent, no matter the actual cost.
• Limit late fees to 2% of rent with a mandatory 7-day grace period, even if rent goes unpaid.
• Ban certain services like valet trash or pest control from being charged at all.
• Eliminate pet fees altogether, even though pet damage and cleaning costs are very real.
• Force landlords to accept tenant-provided screening reports, taking away our ability to vet applicants safely.

None of these measures build a single new home or provide rental assistance. They just make it harder to operate long-term rentals responsibly.

What I Told City Council

I spoke at the Oct. 30 City Council meeting because I couldn’t sit this one out. Here’s what I said.

Why This Matters Beyond San Diego

If this ordinance passes here, it won’t stop here.

Other cities - and eventually the State of California - could use this model to justify similar restrictions.

It could reshape how property owners across California operate, limit our ability to price risk fairly, and ultimately drive small housing providers out of the market entirely.

This is how local policies turn into statewide precedent.

What You Can Do

I’m asking you - as a fellow housing provider - to take 30 seconds to act.

👉 Vote NO on the “Residential Rental Price Gouging, Fee Exploitation, and Cost Transparency Ordinance.”

Tell city and county officials to stop punishing responsible housing providers and focus on real solutions that increase supply.

You can use the California Apartment Association’s automated system to send your message right now:

Click here to contact your representatives

The Bottom Line

I support fairness. I support transparency.

But this ordinance isn’t about clarity - it’s about control.

If it passes, it won’t just hurt housing providers - it will raise rents for everyone by forcing owners to bundle every cost into base rent.

We need policies that create housing, not cripple it.

Please take a minute today to make your voice heard and vote NO on this proposal

Let’s protect fair housing operations in San Diego and prevent this from spreading statewide.

🎥 My Take on San Diego’s New Rental Fee Ordinance

Have questions about managing your property? Our team proudly serves San Diego, Orange, and Riverside Counties. Schedule a call with us today, and let’s chat about how we can guide you through every step of your property management journey. Schedule a call

Steve Welty CEO @ Good Life Property Management DRE #01744610 ​​​​

5252 Balboa Ave #704, San Diego, California 92117
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