Re “Housing voucher rent hikes reviewed” (Nov. 9): The San Diego Housing Commission’s proposal to reduce rent vouchers is a step in the wrong direction. Instead, the city should address the root cause of displacement: the unchecked proliferation of whole-home short-term rentals (STRs), especially in coastal neighborhoods like Mission Beach (2,500 residents displaced). These STRs remove long-term housing from the market and inflate property values, triggering spillover effects that drive up rents and evictions in inland communities like City Heights, Logan Heights and Barrio Logan — areas already burdened by severe housing cost stress.
Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera’s STR tax is a step in the right direction. Ultimately, San Diego should ban whole-home STRs and reclaim those units for permanent housing. The STR tax reduces the number of whole home STRs, thus reducing displacement and easing pressure on the voucher system. We don’t need fewer vouchers — we need fewer speculative STRs. Let’s prioritize homes for residents, not tourists.
— Gary Wonacott, San Diego