Airbnb Spends Heavily to Block San Diego Short-Term Rental Tax
In San Diego, Airbnb spent $672,198 to oppose a tax targeting short-term vacation rentals and vacant second homes. This amount represented approximately a quarter of all expenditure lobbying spending in the city since 2019, funding an opposition campaign that ultimately…
San Diego, CA, September 8, 2026 —
Airbnb invested more than $672,000 in a campaign aimed at defeating a proposed tax on short-term vacation rentals and vacant second homes in San Diego. The significant expenditure marks a substantial portion of the city’s lobbying efforts over the past several years.
According to records, the $672,198 spent by Airbnb constituted approximately one-quarter of all lobbying expenditures recorded in San Diego since 2019. This funding supported an organized opposition campaign against the tax initiative.
The proposed tax sought to levy fees on short-term rental properties and second homes that remain unoccupied. Proponents argued such measures could help address housing availability and generate revenue for city services.
However, the campaign funded by Airbnb appears to have been successful. The San Diego City Council ultimately rejected the tax proposal, preventing its implementation.
The full details of the opposition campaign’s activities and the specific arguments presented against the tax have not been fully detailed in the provided information. The total lobbying spending in San Diego since 2019, excluding Airbnb’s contribution, was approximately $2,688,792.
Story summarized from the original created by Naomi Granata on voiceofsandiego.org, see more information here.
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