San Diego Residents Track Short-Term Rental Violations

Local renters are using data tools to report vacation rentals that may be displacing long-term tenants in the city.

Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Apartments

Screen-print poster illustration of a multi-unit stucco residential building in San Diego, using a warm palette and layered textures. — San Diego residents are stepping up efforts to monitor property records and report suspected short-term rental violations, seeking to preserve long-term housing stability. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should cities restrict property owners from converting long-term rental units into short-term vacation rentals?

Watchdog groups and individual residents have filed thousands of reports regarding suspected short-term rental violations in San Diego. This effort aims to curb the conversion of long-term housing into vacation rentals, a practice that contributes to the citywide shortage of 134,500 affordable homes.

Why it matters

The loss of long-term rental units to vacation hosting significantly impacts neighborhood stability and housing availability for local families. These efforts highlight the tension between San Diego's existing rental ordinances and the ongoing pressure on affordable housing supply.

Jay Goldberg has filed 2,500 reports with city officials, resulting in at least 12 hosts losing their operating licenses. One property owner in Ocean Beach was found to be linked to 114 separate short-term rental licenses.

The players

Jay Goldberg

A software engineer and local resident who monitors short-term rental listings and files reports with city officials.

San Diego Housing Federation

An organization focused on the region's housing crisis that reports a shortage of 134,500 affordable homes for low-income renters.

Nice Neighbors

A local watchdog group that uses software to map and track properties suspected of violating short-term rental ordinances.

The details

Watchdog groups track building transformations by cross-referencing property records with short-term rental licenses and Airbnb listings. A custom software application then identifies specific properties that warrant priority audits and in-person verification by city inspectors. This monitoring is critical because current city ordinances permit owners to secure short-term licenses following no-fault evictions or tenant buyouts.

2009: A tenant signed a lease in Pacific Beach for $625 per month.
May 2023: The current San Diego short-term rental ordinance took effect.
2023: New owners purchased the Pacific Beach apartment complex.
September 23, 2026: Article publication date.

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The Home Front

The rise of software-backed neighborhood monitoring follows the implementation of the San Diego short-term rental ordinance in May 2023. These efforts demonstrate how residents are responding to the broader trend of converting long-term residential housing into vacation rental inventory.

If you suspect a neighboring property is operating as an unlicensed short-term rental, check your local city ordinance requirements to see if the property is in compliance. You can use public records and rental databases to verify whether a building is registered for short-term use in your neighborhood.

The takeaway

The intersection of software automation and tenant advocacy is changing how local housing violations are identified and reported in San Diego. Residents concerned about housing displacement should stay informed on city ordinances and report potential non-compliance through official municipal channels.