DATE:
December 9, 2025
27
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
HOMEOWNERS, SENIORS, VETERANS, AND FAMILIES HOMEOWNERSHIP TAX RELIEF & INCREASING HOUSING FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP THROUGH MODIFICATION OF THE FEDERAL EXCLUSION FROM CAPITAL GAINS TAXES ON HOME SALES (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
Throughout the state of California and San Diego County, we are experiencing a housing crisis. Decades of underbuilding, regulations, and population growth have been compiled to create a housing shortage, driving up prices of existing homes. Due to highly restrictive environmental laws and increased building costs, home building has stagnated across the state. Annual housing production across the state has consistently been lower than what the growing population requires. Lengthy permitting processes take years, and environmental lawsuits stunt the few projects that do get approved, further exacerbating the crisis. The existing stock of homes values have dramatically outpaced inflation, leading to an affordability crisis. The average age of first-time homebuyers in the U.S. has now reached the all-time high of 40, according to the National Association of Realtors. Seniors looking to retire with dignity cannot afford the taxes that come with a home sale. Young people and families cannot afford homes, the cornerstone of the American Dream.
With median detached home prices in San Diego County exceeding $900,000 (August 2025), estimates say a person would need an income of roughly $180,000 a year to afford a mortgage on a home. There is a growing sentiment across the country that older generations are bottlenecking the housing supply by not selling their single-family homes, and downsizing. However, there is a glaring reason for the lack of home sales in the market. Most homeowners would stand to lose a tremendous amount of money due to capital gains taxes. Home sales often trigger capital gains tax, with homeowners having to shell out thousands ...
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