Empty Homes Tax — support

Cited a vacant nuisance home in her area and code enforcement inaction; urged support.

Longtime renter who lost a condo in 2008 urged support.

Center on Policy Initiatives advocate said the tax is needed revenue amid a $120M deficit and housing crisis.

District 4 resident urged support, citing corporate investors holding homes empty.

Supported the tax, saying working families and communities of color are priced out while investors hold empty homes.

Thanked Elo-Rivera and said the measure balances returning homes to market with generating revenue.

District 3 resident since 1988 called it a disgrace that a wealthy city has an unhousing crisis; urged taxing wealth.

Long commuter said 5,000 empty homes represent 5,000 opportunities for families.

Spoke for PAF in support, saying every unit returned to the market helps combat homelessness.

Alliance San Diego director shared her family's housing struggles and urged the council to let voters decide.

North Park resident since 1969 described an investor holding a neighboring home vacant for five years while its value doubled.

Chicano Federation organizer said the revenue could offset budget cuts hitting marginalized communities.

Described his unstable childhood housing and said poverty is a policy failure, not a moral failure.

ACCE organizer described San Ysidro members living six to a one-bedroom and urged support.

District 9 resident urged passage, citing racial history of exclusion from homeownership.

Works three jobs in the city but can't afford to live there; urged support.

San Diego Housing Federation CEO urged support, framing it as putting existing homes to use in a supply-constrained market.

Youth nonprofit director urged support, saying housing is a human right and renters need relief.

ACLU advocate and UCSD Poverty Project director, a former unhoused student, urged support.

Asked why ordinary San Diegans can't get a chance to own one home before others own several.

Youth Will renter urged the council to let voters decide.

Housing justice director said owners of two million-dollar homes can afford the tax and urged a ballot referral.

ACCE member and renter urged support, saying vacant homes should house residents.

62-year-old on Social Security living in converted hotel housing said he's resigned to never owning; urged support.

District 9 resident with Youth Will urged support, calling housing a human right.

Said the poorest can't keep filling the budget deficit and shared his family losing a home to private equity after 2008.

Apologized to Councilmember Moreno for misattributing her committee vote and urged bold leadership now rather than waiting on litigation.

Urged realistic KPIs and supported the measure, calling it a beautiful moment.

Urged support, saying converting empty homes is easier than building new housing.

District 5 resident urged support, saying the city should disincentivize vacant speculation.

Mid-City CAN urged support, citing working families' housing struggles.

San Diego Families for Justice urged support, calling it a bold solution to the housing crisis.