By Brian Myers
Activists under the banner of the San Diego Socialist Campaign rallied in City Heights Aug. 22 for rent control, more affordable housing options and protection from vermin, mold and other poor housing conditions.
Earlier in the week, the San Diego City Council declared a state of emergency due to a lack of housing for the 12th year in a row. And a Speak City Heights investigation found the city wasn’t holding at least one City Heights landlord accountable for repeated housing code violations, nor was it enforcing state laws against vermin and insect infestations. The city has since invested resources to boost code enforcement efforts.
The San Diego rally comes as renters in Los Angeles are organizing amid rising housing costs, and where the mayor is pushing to build 100,000 new housing units by 2021.