San Diego voters look poised to ice out Measure A, the proposed Non‑Primary Homes Tax aimed at owners of vacant second homes. Last night's returns showed roughly 58% of ballots marked "No," a result that, if it holds, would leave the city without the roughly $9–21 million a year supporters said the tax could generate. Election officials stressed the count is still in progress and that late mail and provisional ballots could narrow the gap.
According to Axios, about 58% of early voters opposed Measure A, and the Registrar of Voters is set to keep processing ballots throughout the week, with the next major update scheduled for Thursday at 6 PM. The same reporting highlighted that city leaders are already planning around a roughly $146 million budget shortfall for the next fiscal year if the measure fails.
What the tax would have done
Measure A targeted non‑primary residences left vacant for more than 182 days per year. It would have charged $8,000 per qualifying home in 2027 and $10,000 annually after that, with higher surcharges for corporate owners and only limited exemptions. As outlined by the City Attorney, the ordinance was slated to take effect Jan. 1, 2027 if approved, and the money would have flowed into the city’s general fund instead of a dedicated housing fund.
Scope and revenue
City analysts estimated that about 5,140 properties could be subject to the tax, potentially bringing in between $9.2 million and $21.4 million in its first year. That range depends on how many owners qualify for exemptions or decide to occupy or rent out currently empty units. The Office of the Independent Budget Analyst warned that if the measure succeeded in reducing vacancies, the number of taxed properties could drop, making long‑term revenues unpredictable rather than a guaranteed windfall.
Money in the fight
The campaign over Measure A was heavily fueled by outside money. Axios reported that the California Association of Realtors poured more than $1 million into the No on A effort, which funded mailers and digital ads warning about privacy concerns and property rights. Supporters of the measure, backed by unions and housing advocates, raised far less and pitched the tax as a targeted tool to curb speculation and push more homes into the long‑term rental market, according to KPBS.
Next steps for the count
Measure A remains listed as an active contest on the county’s live results portal, which is tracking precinct reports and turnout as mail ballots, provisional votes and late-arriving returns are processed. The San Diego County Registrar of Voters’ results page will continue to post updated tallies and precinct‑level detail as election workers move toward final certification.
