Hi there, my name is Sidney and my story is not unique or special. To be honest, you’re probably right here with me. Like anyone else living in Oceanside and North County San Diego, I am just struggling to make ends meet.

 I have lived in Oceanside most of my life, and moved into my first apartment with a roommate in 2020, paying what was then the norm — $1,750 for my apartment. Fast forward to 2024/2025, my rent has just escalated to roughly $2,300 over the years, about a 35% jump. For those observing and not renting, the problem might seem negligible, and maybe one can say “COVID changed things a lot,” or “It is expensive to be a landlord” perhaps even “Can’t you just move?”. But we all know — that’s not the issue, or the circumstance. 

The issue is Human Rights. Especially when you consider that the minimum wage has only increased by 14% during the same period. On that math, you are spending about 80% of your income to rent. Do those numbers sound right? 

Around 70% of our fellow residents are renters, and majority of us expend over 60% of our income on rent. How would a local citizen ever expect to further their education, save to own a home, or support themselves and families.

Rental FREEZES and rent caps need to be implemented. More protections for renters is essential. This will not only maintain affordable housing alternatives but also keep our local citizens from being priced out of their own communities. 

Meanwhile, it seems like our landlords and surrounding property companies have turned a deaf ear to our troubles. Not only do they refuse to halt the rent hikes, but they also neglect necessary updates and property maintenance, sometimes even resorting to illegal retaliation tactics. Their ultimate defense? "You pay below current market.” But is it justified when 'current market' becomes synonymous with 'skyrocketing prices'?

The sad truth is, large portions of homeowners in Oceanside don't even live here; they own multiple properties while residing out of town. Renting to locals, with zero care or compassion- with sole profitability in sight. Property management seek only to do the bare minimum, acting as an authority, creating fear and housing insecurity. As more and more houses are converted into profit-churning rentals, we watch the number of affordable housing options shrink before our eyes.

 For some reason, towns like ours- especially ones that thrive on our service industries- have business owners who have difficulty paying employees a fair wage to live in this area and landlords have difficulty charging a fair rent to live. We need legislation to change this narrative.

This is not an isolated issue. It is happening all over the country, and we are in the greatest depression in a century. Rent should correlate to wages. People should not be trapped and forced to rent their entire lives, but that is how we all are living.

Stand with me in demanding the immediate implementation of a rent freeze and begin resolving the wage gap in Oceanside and North County San Diego. Please sign this petition for a better, fairer housing future & pay, and share with a friend who needs this to happen! It’s a human rights issue! 

Edit: to change ‘control’ to ‘freeze’. We need relief!