Housing Program

The purpose of the Housing Program is to ensure safe housing in regulated areas of the County, which includes: Carlsbad, Coronado, Del Mar, Encinitas, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Poway, San Marcos, Santee, Solana Beach, Vista, and the unincorporated areas of the County.  To accomplish this, the Food, Water, and Housing Division enforces state laws pertaining to sanitation, maintenance, ventilation, and occupancy.

This program does not serve the following cities: Chula Vista, El Cajon, Escondido, Imperial Beach, National City, Oceanside, or San Diego.

The County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ) requires an annual health permit for apartments, hotels, or co-located rental units, as defined in the San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances. Examples include apartment complexes with 3+ families in separate units (apartments) in the same building or motels with 6+ units/rooms.

The County of San Diego DEHQ does not require a health permit for short-term rentals, as defined by the city/county where the housing unit is located. For the unincorporated area of San Diego County, a housing unit is considered a short-term rental if the stay is fewer than 30 consecutive days.  Other jurisdictions may require separate registrations, permits, licenses, and fees. Please contact the applicable jurisdiction directly for their requirements for short-term rentals.

Under this program element 2,500 housing sites are regulated, including 77,000 apartment and hotel units. In addition, there are 30 jails and detention facilities such as the downtown jail, juvenile hall, and medium security camps in the mountains that do fire prevention work with the Forestry Department. County staff conduct inspections and complaint investigations of these housing establishments and detention facilities. To promote healthy families, the inspection program incorporates the Healthy Homes Principles.

NEW:   Find out more how the Department of Environmental Health and Quality Food and Housing Division protects public health and improves our quality of life in this brief video clip.

Housing Disputes

The California Department of Real Estate has updated the "California Tenants: a guide to residential tenants' and landlords' rights and responsibilities" as of 2020. PDF Versions are available in English and Spanish.

Mold

• 01/2016:  Senate Bill 655 amends mold as a substandard housing condition: PDF
  
• California Department Of Health Services Mold Information
• Mold Booklet for residential property owners to provide prospective tenants:
               Information on Mold & Moisture for Renters in California ( 2021)
               Información Sobre la Humedad y el Moho para Inquilinos en California (2021)

Vermin Control

• Vermin Control in Apartment Buildings     English (PDF)     Spanish (PDF)
• A Guide to Safely Controlling Pests in Your Home

Lead Poisoning

The County of San Diego Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program provides information regarding protecting children from the dangers associated with environmental exposure to lead. Their telephone number is (619) 692-8487. The following web sites also have lead-related information:

CDC - Learn How to Prevent Childrens' Exposure to Lead

CA Dept of Public Health Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch

Environmental Protection Agency Lead Program   (English)   (Spanish)

Housing and Urban Development Office of Health Homes and Lead Hazard Control

If you have any questions, please call (858) 505-6900 or fax (858) 999-8920 or e-mail: fhdutyeh@sdcounty.ca.gov