San Diego Short-Term Residential Occupancy Licenses

San Diego Short-Term Residential Occupancy Licenses
San Diego Short-Term Residential Occupancy Licenses
Takeaways:
  • Tier 3 licenses dominate with 55.9% of all licenses, representing full-home rentals of more than 20 days per year.
  • 92109 (Mission & Pacific Beach) is by far the most saturated ZIP code, accounting for 30.2% of active licenses.
  • Mission Beach and Pacific Beach are top community planning areas, reflecting heavy tourism and vacation rental demand.
  • Over 69% of licenses are set to expire in 2027, indicating a recent renewal cycle or multi-year issuance pattern.

The Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) Licenses dataset is part of the City of San Diego’s effort to regulate the booming short-term rental market. This dataset includes nearly 8,000 active licenses that have been granted to property owners or managers renting out homes, apartments, or rooms for short-term stays.

Key variables include the license tier (Tier 1 to Tier 4), account start year, expiration year, and geographic details such as ZIP code, community planning area, and street address. The license tiers reflect the property's use type and rental frequency, helping the city manage neighborhood impacts and rental fairness.

Geospatially, the dataset reveals a strong concentration along San Diego’s coastal areas—particularly in Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, and La Jolla. These are traditional vacation hotspots and therefore subject to tighter regulatory scrutiny. The dataset is ideal for policymakers, researchers, and housing advocates seeking to understand how short-term rentals are distributed and how they intersect with housing, tourism, and community planning objectives.

Statistics

This dataset includes detailed records for 7,954 active short-term residential rental licenses in the City of San Diego. The licensing program enforces city regulations requiring hosts to obtain proper authorization for renting out dwelling units on a short-term basis. The dataset provides insight into license tiers, geographic concentrations, and the timeline of license issuance, helping stakeholders understand the scope and scale of the city’s short-term rental activity.

Tier Breakdown

Tier 3 licenses dominate the dataset, representing 55.91% of all active licenses. These typically involve whole-home rentals for more than 20 days per year. Tier 2 licenses, accounting for 28.75%, likely cover part-time or hosted rentals. Meanwhile, Tier 4 (13.26%) and Tier 1 (2.06%) represent more limited or primary residence arrangements.

TierLicensesPercent
Tier 34447
55.91%
Tier 22287
28.75%
Tier 41055
13.26%
Tier 1164
2.06%
Local Contact NameLicensesPercent
Bluewater Vacation Homes71
0.89%
Evan Leib71
0.89%
Coast Vacation Homes69
0.87%
MICHELLE AARONS58
0.73%
Ana Mills54
0.68%
Aaron Beard51
0.64%
NXT Vacation51
0.64%
Nicholas Dimeglio51
0.64%
Drift Vacation Homes51
0.64%
Mission Sands Vacation Rentals36
0.45%
Nancy's Vacation Rentals34
0.43%
Cheri Poruznick34
0.43%
Samuel Mayes32
0.40%
Doug Hancock32
0.40%
Luxe Homes32
0.40%

License Timeline

Licensing activity peaked in 2021–2022, coinciding with the implementation of stricter STRO regulations. Notably, 21.08% of licenses trace back to 2011, reflecting legacy registrations. Licenses are predominantly set to expire in 2027 (69.34%), suggesting recent renewals or multiyear terms.

Account Start YearLicensesPercent
202598
1.23%
2024289
3.63%
2023510
6.41%
20221096
13.78%
2021987
12.41%
2020586
7.37%
2019529
6.65%
2018414
5.20%
2017400
5.03%
2016310
3.90%
2015344
4.32%
2014247
3.11%
2013235
2.95%
2012227
2.85%
20111677
21.08%
Expiration YearLicensesPercent
20275515
69.34%
20261410
17.73%
20251029
12.94%

Geographic Distribution

The vast majority of licenses are located within San Diego city limits (92.66%), with La Jolla (6.85%) and Del Mar (0.43%) trailing far behind. At the ZIP level, 92109 (Pacific and Mission Beach) dominates with 30.24% of licenses, followed by 92037 (La Jolla) and 92107 (Ocean Beach). Key community planning areas include Mission Beach (16.04%), Pacific Beach (14.17%), and La Jolla (9.32%).

CityLicensesPercent
SAN DIEGO7370
92.66%
LA JOLLA545
6.85%
DEL MAR34
0.43%
ZipLicensesPercent
921092405
30.24%
92037756
9.50%
92107752
9.45%
92101448
5.63%
92104445
5.59%
92103417
5.24%
92102357
4.49%
92117306
3.85%
92116276
3.47%
92110197
2.48%
92106170
2.14%
92115158
1.99%
92105147
1.85%
92113134
1.68%
92111115
1.45%
Community Planning AreaLicensesPercent
MISSION BEACH1276
16.04%
PACIFIC BEACH1127
14.17%
LA JOLLA741
9.32%
UPTOWN579
7.28%
OCEAN BEACH560
7.04%
NORTH PARK460
5.78%
CLAIREMONT MESA429
5.39%
PENINSULA373
4.69%
DOWNTOWN344
4.32%
SOUTHEASTERN SAN DIEGO248
3.12%
GREATER GOLDEN HILL228
2.87%
MID-CITY:CITY HEIGHTS176
2.21%
MID-CITY:NORMAL HEIGHTS119
1.50%
LINDA VISTA118
1.48%
NAVAJO118
1.48%

Street-Level Insights

Some streets have a high density of STRO licenses, notably Ocean Front Walk (2.75%), Ocean Blvd (1.76%), and Bayside Walk (1.35%). Specific addresses like 4767 Ocean Blvd (0.87%) and 4667 Ocean Blvd (0.36%) suggest multi-unit buildings or high-turnover rental properties. These street-level hotspots often align with popular coastal areas.

Street NameLicensesPercent
Ocean Front Wk219
2.75%
OCEAN Bl140
1.76%
BAYSIDE Wk107
1.35%
MISSION Bl98
1.23%
RIVIERA Dr62
0.78%
Reed Av48
0.60%
CHALCEDONY St46
0.58%
Columbia St45
0.57%
Island Ct45
0.57%
BRIGHTON Av44
0.55%
Diamond St44
0.55%
Bayside Ln43
0.54%
NARRAGANSETT Av43
0.54%
SARATOGA Av42
0.53%
VOLTAIRE St42
0.53%
AddressLicensesPercent
4767 OCEAN Bl69
0.87%
100 PARK Pz29
0.36%
4667 OCEAN Bl29
0.36%
4465 OCEAN Bl28
0.35%
715 15TH St15
0.19%
725 REDONDO Ct15
0.19%
3909 VOLTAIRE St14
0.18%
3888 RIVIERA Dr12
0.15%
750 WHITING Ct12
0.15%
4151 MISSION Bl11
0.14%
3755 OCEAN FRONT Wk11
0.14%
4890 SUNROAD CENTRUM Ln11
0.14%

Dataset

Explore San Diego's short-term rental landscape through a dataset of 7,954 active STRO licenses issued by the City of San Diego. Each record captures critical information such as license tier, account start year, expiration year, ZIP code, street, and planning area—offering a granular view of short-term rental activity regulated under the city’s rental ordinance.

Dataset Information

SubjectAdministration and Finance
JurisdictionCity of San Diego, State of California
Data ProviderSan Diego Office of the City Treasurer
Sourcedata.sandiego.gov