SAN DIEGO (CNS) - In not so shocking news, it's expensive to live in San Diego, two reports released by local nonprofits and government organizations Thursday confirmed.
The San Diego Housing Federation, in coordination with the California Housing Partnership, released the annual "San Diego County Housing Needs Report," spotlighting the growing need for affordable housing investment to provide much-needed homes for low-income renters.
In the findings: Average rent has increased by nearly $100 from last year to $2,571, meaning a San Diegan needs to make $50 an hour -- around three times minimum wage -- to afford to live here.
"Affordable housing is one of our region's greatest needs, and the need is only growing each year," said Stephen Russell, president and CEO of San Diego Housing Federation. "While there was a $180 million (29%) increase in state and federal funding year over year, we believe that in the next two years the state will be focused on plugging budget holes created by federal actions.
"This is why it's critical the county and city's affordable housing funding continues to rise to meet the overwhelming need, and the State Legislature must pass the Affordable Housing Bond Acts of 2026 to include affordable housing in the state's budget along the lines of what advocates, including the housing federation, have requested."
San Diego Council President Pro Tem Kent Lee and Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera joined the San Diego Housing Federation, California Housing Partnership and Children First Collective, among other groups, to release and discuss the reports.
In the second report, "San Diego Child Care Cost Estimation Model," the sheer lack of child care was the focus.
According to the findings, a total of 190,000 children lack access to licensed child care and a family of four needs to make more than $107,000 annually to afford it at all.
"We call for increased investment in family stability through housing and access to affordable child care, and the services that keep our communities healthy," said Courtney Baltiyskyy, Children First Collective co-facilitator and YMCA of San Diego vice president of policy and advocacy. "Now is the time to make bold decisions that prioritize working families. This is our chance to build a system that supports the people who hold this region together."
Additionally, representatives from PATH San Diego, Jewish Family Service of San Diego and City Heights CDC spoke on the under-resourced continuum of care for homeless people in San Diego.
In the first quarter of 2025, 2,985 people were housed, but 3,189 newly entered homelessness, according to the Regional Task Force on Homelessness.
"We need all levels of government -- city, county, state and federal -- to come together and invest in the housing and supportive services our communities urgently need," said Hanan Scrapper, regional director of PATH San Diego.
Jewish Family Service has seen a 20% increase in people of all faiths, backgrounds and ages accessing its pantry programs in the past year.
"We encourage all levels of government to invest in food programs and work with community-based organizations to address the root causes of food insecurity," said Kaley Levitt, JFS vice president of government affairs. "Food security is not just about hunger. When families are given access to housing, healthcare, job support and cash assistance, they can put food on the table and build a foundation to not just survive but thrive."
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