San Diego’s housing crisis continues to dominate the headlines. Yet one of the most effective tools for keeping people housed – rental assistance – is not getting the attention it deserves.

Too often, policy conversations about affordability center on imposing burdens on landlords instead of recognizing that housing is a shared social responsibility. If our leaders are serious about addressing housing affordability, expanding rental assistance should be top of mind.

California already has rent control in place, limiting how much rent can be raised year-over-year. But some local cities such as Imperial Beach continue to impose more rules, red tape and cost on landlords – as if that will solve the housing crisis.

These misguided efforts force private property owners – many small landlords – to absorb the costs of a broken system.

There’s a better way. Direct rental assistance is a fair and transparent method to help people struggling with housing prices. Programs like Section 8 housing vouchers are already an essential tool, but there is a waiting list to access the benefits – and many people don’t meet the criteria.

That’s why some cities recognize the local needs and step up with their own rental assistance programs.

In San Diego, the City’s Housing Commission operates the Housing Instability Prevention Program (HIPP). It helps pay rent for people in San Diego with low income, experiencing a housing crisis and at risk of homelessness. But the current number of people the program serves – up to 300 – is woefully small.

Separately, San Diego County’s pilot program offering $500 monthly to older adults at risk of homelessness is another shining example.

This modest assistance can keep a family housed. That’s a relief for the tenant and the landlord, who can avoid going through the costly and time-consuming court eviction process as currently prescribed.

The City’s HIPP program and the County’s elder rental subsidy are ideal candidates for expansion. Leaders should also help tenants move when properties must be removed from the market for renovations and repairs – known as a “no-fault” eviction. It’s not fair or practical to place that burden on landlords.

We know that rental assistance works to keep people housed. During the pandemic, California’s COVID-19 Rent Relief program was administered locally – providing a proof of concept for meaningful local rental assistance. Statewide, it provided nearly $5.71 billion and kept a half-million Californian households in stable housing.

Research indicates that recipients of rental assistance experience improved housing stability, quality, autonomy, and affordability compared to those not receiving assistance.

A recent report highlighting the potential loss of funding for 18 critical homelessness programs in San Diego County should serve as a wake-up call. Federal and state grants have supported programs like hotel vouchers and safe parking lots – but their funding is precarious.

San Diego’s elected leaders are rightly exploring multiple solutions to our housing crisis, including the preservation of deed-restricted affordable housing and the conversion of office space to affordable housing. Each of these efforts is valuable, but none addresses the immediate reality that thousands of San Diegans struggle to find and afford housing right now.

One of the most important – but often overlooked – benefits of rental assistance is that it promotes equity. It allows low-income families, seniors, and workers to live in dignity alongside those of greater means, creating stronger, more inclusive communities.

How to fund it? In addition to seeking federal and state funding, the City should allocate a portion of housing impact fees, redevelopment funds, or general revenue to a rental assistance fund.

Rental assistance must be at the center of San Diego’s housing policy, not an afterthought.

Written by Alan Pentico, CAE

Alan Pentico, CAE, is the executive director of the Southern California Rental Housing Association. Whenever I can, I like to share my expertise in any of the areas mentioned. Feel free to ask. If I don’t know the answer, I can probably give you some good suggestions as to where to look for it. My capability includes: Extensive experience in local policy inception, development, and implementation through collaborative efforts; Broad experience in local and state advocacy and program management as well as Political Action Committee management, as a Public Affairs Executive; and a strong understanding of non-profit management including certification by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) as a Certified Association Executive (CAE) for Non-Profit association management. A wide-range of knowledge in the rental housing industry. I am always interested in new ways to advance the Rental Housing industry, field of Public Affairs, and Non Profit industry.