Paid Protesters from LA Supported Airbnb During Vacation Home Tax Vote

Dozens of people in light blue shirts flooded the San Diego Council Chambers to oppose a proposed tax on second homes and vacation rentals.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 8:31pm

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Dozens of people in light blue shirts, many of whom were paid by an LA-based group called Urbano Strategies, attended a San Diego City Council meeting to oppose a proposed tax on second homes and vacation rentals. The proposal, introduced by Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, ultimately failed to pass. The paid protesters were provided with transportation, hotel accommodations, and a stipend to attend the meeting and voice their opposition.

Why it matters

This incident raises concerns about the integrity of the democratic process, as it appears that special interests may have used paid protesters to influence the outcome of a local policy decision. It also highlights the ongoing debate around the regulation of short-term vacation rentals and the impact they have on housing affordability in cities like San Diego.

The details

According to the report, Amada Valle, one of the protesters in light blue shirts, said she was paid a stipend and provided with transportation and hotel accommodations to attend the meeting. Valle said she was part of a group of 45 people from Los Angeles brought in by Urbano Strategies, a group that focuses on teaching LA residents how to be leaders in their neighborhoods. Another group, Save Our Services LA, also brought people to the meeting, and there are indications that Airbnb may have been involved with this group as well. Councilmember Elo-Rivera criticized the use of paid protesters, calling it an "insult to the democratic process."

  • The San Diego City Council meeting took place on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.
  • Amada Valle and the group of 45 people from Los Angeles arrived in San Diego the previous evening, on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.

The players

Sean Elo-Rivera

A San Diego City Councilmember who proposed the tax on second homes and vacation rentals.

Amada Valle

A protester in light blue shirts who was paid a stipend and provided with transportation and hotel accommodations to attend the San Diego City Council meeting.

Urbano Strategies

An LA-based group that focuses on teaching Los Angeles residents how to be leaders in their neighborhoods and organized the group of paid protesters to attend the San Diego City Council meeting.

Save Our Services LA

Another group that brought paid protesters to the San Diego City Council meeting, and may have had involvement from Airbnb.

Stephen Russell

The president of the San Diego Housing Federation, who was present at the meeting and said his understanding is that the vacation rental industry brought in and paid the protesters.

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What they’re saying

“We arrived from Los Angeles yesterday. I was paid a stipend to attend the meeting and was provided with transportation and hotel accommodations.”

— Amada Valle

“The decision to recruit and pay low-income members of the public for fake 'community engagement' is an insult to the democratic process.”

— Sean Elo-Rivera, San Diego City Councilmember

“Some people admitted it to us. The lady behind me did say 'Yeah I'm getting paid, it's not worth it' – for the conflict she was having to experience, it wasn't worth the 80 bucks.”

— Stephen Russell, President of the San Diego Housing Federation

What’s next

The San Diego City Council will likely continue to debate the issue of regulating short-term vacation rentals and the impact they have on housing affordability in the city.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the growing concern over the use of paid protesters to influence local policy decisions, which undermines the democratic process and raises questions about the role of special interests in shaping urban policies.