Fighting Hidden Fees, Approving Higher Ones: Elo-Rivera’s Cost-of-Living Crossroads

Photo by Salvatore Giametta

By San Diego Monitor News Staff

San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera held a news conference Wednesday outside City Hall, joined by San Diego County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Monica Montgomery Steppe, to announce a new effort aimed at curbing hidden fees that he says unfairly burden working families and deepen San Diego’s affordability crisis. “San Diegans deserve to know exactly what they’re paying for,” Elo-Rivera said at the press event.

The timing of the announcement comes as Elo-Rivera faces growing public attention for his support of recent water-rate increases and the city’s new trash collection fee, both of which are expected to raise monthly costs for residents. Critics have accused him of contradicting his affordability message by backing policies that increase essential living expenses.

Elo-Rivera, who represents District 9, has long positioned himself as a leading voice on affordability, equity, and opportunity in San Diego. Yet as the cost of living continues to rise, his decisions at City Hall are being closely scrutinized against the promises of his platform.

In a statement provided to San Diego Monitor News, Elo-Rivera’s office defended his record and emphasized that his decisions are guided by the goal of building a city that works for everyone—not just the wealthy.

“We want San Diego to be a city where everyone can see a future for themselves. That’s why tackling the high cost of living is my office’s number one priority. We’ve been relentless on that front, and despite well-funded opposition, we’ve successfully taken on corporate greed that’s driving up the cost of housing and groceries. We also fought to raise wages for tourism and hospitality workers who were being underpaid by multibillion-dollar corporations. At the same time, we know that San Diegans, especially working families, can only receive the reliable, high-quality city services they deserve if the City is properly resourced. My focus is on ensuring that those who profit most from San Diego (visitors, corporations, and out-of-town investors) pay their fair share, so the burden on residents is as small as possible. That’s why I’ve proposed a tax on vacation homes that 99% of San Diegans would not pay, and why I’ve advocated for maintaining free parking for city residents and for expanding discount programs for water and trash services. Every decision I make comes back to one question: does this make San Diego work better for the people who live and work here?”

Earlier this year, the City Council approved a plan to raise water and wastewater rates over several years—projected at more than 30% combined—citing the soaring costs of imported water, infrastructure upgrades, and maintenance. Elo-Rivera, as chair of the City’s Environment Committee, participated in the review process and acknowledged the difficulty of the decision. He also backed the new city trash collection fee, which for the first time charges single-family homeowners who were previously exempt under the century-old “People’s Ordinance.” Supporters argued the move created fairness between homeowners and renters who already pay private haulers, while critics said it adds yet another burden for residents struggling with high costs.

In both cases, Elo-Rivera has maintained that essential services require funding and that long-term fiscal stability is necessary to sustain programs benefiting working families. Community leaders and affordability advocates continue to raise concerns that fee and rate increases disproportionately affect Black and Brown residents, who are more likely to live in multi-family housing, have lower household incomes, and already face compounding financial pressures. Higher utility and trash fees can flow downstream to renters through increased costs passed on by landlords. In districts like Elo-Rivera’s—covering parts of City Heights, College Area, and Mount Hope—those effects could be significant.

Elo-Rivera’s office points to efforts to expand discount and relief programs for qualifying low-income households, along with proposals such as a vacation-home tax that would target out-of-town investors rather than local residents. Still, residents facing rising bills say the relief measures have yet to match the pace of the city’s cost increases.

Elo-Rivera’s record reflects both progressive ambitions and pragmatic compromises. He has advocated for higher wages, housing protections, and corporate accountability while also voting for or advancing measures that increase household expenses. For critics, that tension feels contradictory. For supporters, it reflects the realities of governing a city with chronic infrastructure deficits and limited revenue options.

The debate underscores a broader question in San Diego politics: how can leaders fund essential services without further straining residents already living on the edge? As the city prepares for future budget cycles—and possibly more fee adjustments—Elo-Rivera’s balancing act between fiscal responsibility and affordability will remain a defining test of his leadership.