Illegal Rent Increases
About the series
State lawmakers passed a number of tenant protections that went into effect in January 2020, including a 10% maximum cap on rent increases for many properties within a 12-month period – a key feature of the Tenant Protection Act. The goal was to prevent excessive rent hikes and rent gouging in the middle of a worsening housing shortage and homelessness crisis.
An inewsource investigation found the San Diego Housing Commission, which manages the federal Section 8 housing voucher program for city residents, has been approving rent hikes on the program’s low-income tenants without ensuring those increases comply with state law.
The investigation has already led to impact.
The Housing Commission announced plans to enact a local policy that would mirror the state’s cap. Housing officials with San Diego County have also responded by telling staff to check the math on increases before approving them. Between the city and county, these changes could impact as many as 27,000 low-income families, affording them the same protection against excessive rent hikes as everyone else on the private market, and saving untold millions of dollars in taxpayer money.
Meanwhile, a lawsuit filed in San Diego Superior Court aims to claw back all public funds illegally paid to private landlords, potentially setting the stage for legal claims against other public housing agencies across the state.
The scope of the problem is unknown. Some housing commissions, including San Diego’s, say they had been operating under the assumption Section 8 tenants are exempt from state law – an interpretation that the state attorney general and others say is wrong. Experts and attorneys say illegal rent increases affect tenants across San Diego County of all income levels, with or without Section 8 vouchers. And tenants have little opportunity for remedy outside of taking legal action, which can be too costly for most.
inewsource investigative reporter Cody Dulaney reported this project.
Series Reporting
After inewsource report, officials offer plan to cap rent hikes for low-income tenants
The change would bring rent increases for Section 8 tenants in line with caps in the state Tenant Protection Act.
Has your rent increased? We want to hear from you
We want to hear how tenants in San Diego County are affected by rent increases for an ongoing investigation into illegal practices.
The cap on rent increases is going up in San Diego County. Here’s what tenants can expect
The California Tenant Protection Act, passed in 2019, set a limit on how much landlords can raise the rent in a 12-month period.
Here’s what a new limit on rent increases will mean for San Diego County renters
As of Thursday, the new cap on rent increases for the San Diego region is 8.6% — a decrease from last year’s limit of 10%.
Fact check: Do all San Diego housing agencies see state tenant protection laws as irrelevant?
Officials in Carlsbad, Encinitas and National City say they have been checking to ensure rent increases comply with California’s Tenant Protection Act.
Oceanside becomes third housing agency to start rejecting unlawful rent hikes
The change would bring rent increases for Section 8 voucher holders in line with the California Tenant Protection Act.
San Diego County starts denying illegal rent increases following inewsource report
The change would bring rent increases for Section 8 voucher holders in line with the California Tenant Protection Act.
How to know when a rent increase is illegal
Experts say tenants across San Diego County of all income levels are facing unlawful rent increases. Here are some red flags tenants can watch out for.
San Diegan says she was forced to pay illegal rent increase for a year. She fought back
Advocates and attorneys say tenants across the state have faced rent hikes that violate the California Tenant Protection Act.
After inewsource report, San Diego official says any unlawful rent hikes should be returned
The San Diego Housing Commission will adopt a policy that ensures rent increases for Section 8 voucher holders do not violate state law.
San Diego agency might be approving illegal rent increases while taxpayers foot the bill
A monthslong investigation found the San Diego Housing Commission isn’t ensuring rent increases for low-income tenants comply with California state law.
