A California renter received a social media reality check after claiming she’s the reason her landlord “doesn’t have to get a real job.”
Reparation commissions, entitlement programs and mantras to tax the rich have consumed the left and its opposition to free market enterprise. Now, as the Democratic Socialists of America further expand their influence, viral victimhood found a San Diego, California county employee siding with political pickpockets on capping property owner profits.
“Renters ARE the ones paying for those repairs, the property tax, the mortgage, etc. because the landlord uses our rent money to pay those things,” contended Ashley Luna, who described herself as a county employee and mother of two.
She went on, “If being a landlord is soooo hard, they have the freedom to sell the property. The reason we can’t save $100K is because we’re shelling it out to the landlords. Landlords bitching about being a landlord is something else. You know it’s your CHOICE to be a landlord, right? For renters, who are blocked from building equity & having meaningful savings, we do not have the same power to choose homeownership.”
Renters ARE the ones paying for those repairs, the property tax, the mortgage, etc. because the landlord uses our rent money to pay those things.
If being a landlord is soooo hard, they have the freedom to sell the property. The reason we can’t save $100K is because we’re…
— Ashley Luna (@RealAshleyLuna) July 19, 2026
Luna’s post came in response to former Los Angeles mayoral hopeful Spencer Pratt reacting to New York City DSA Co-chair Gustavo Gordillo on Fox News supporting the rent freeze and calling for a cap on what landlords can make in profit off their properties.
“Before you bitch about landlords,” said Pratt, “ask yourself: could you save up $100K right now to make a down payment? What about $10K in repairs when a pipe bursts? Or your government leaves 50 years of brush to BURN YOUR CITY DOWN? These are all things a property owner has to deal with. Risk, liability, maintenance, taxes, loss of liquidity, ever-increasing insurance costs, and no ability to evict someone who stops paying rent. Landlords earn maybe 5-12% margins off your rent. Consider it a tip for doing all the hard stuff of home ownership for you.”
When the rent is too damn high it’s easy to hate the landlord making money off you. But when you’re a renter…you never have to make a repair, you never have to sock away $100K in cash for a down payment, and if your place burns down, you can just walk away.
Before you bitch…
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) July 19, 2026
As backlash replies flooded in and Luna contended options like moving to a different city, having roommates, commuting from further away or living with her parents were all unavailable options, she went on to claim, “Landlords, landlord hoarding & charging high rent is the reason why the housing supply is low, costs are inflated & it’s difficult for renters to save money for a [down payment]. I’m the reason why the landlord doesn’t have to get a real job to cover his personal expenses or lifestyle. Did [you] ever thank a renter once?”
Landlords, landlord hoarding & charging high rent is the reason why the housing supply is low, costs are inflated & it’s difficult for renters to save money for a DP.
I’m the reason why the landlord doesn’t have to get a real job to cover his personal expenses or lifestyle. Did…
— Ashley Luna (@RealAshleyLuna) July 20, 2026
Meanwhile, CBS 8 San Diego reported that, according to CoStar senior director of marketing analytics Josh Ohl, vacancy rates have surged in the city in recent years reaching their highest in 25 years at 6.1%.
What’s more, Newmark senior managing director Erik Anderson pointed out that some tenants are abusing incentives from landlords for weeks of free occupancy by “concession hopping,” taking advantage of a promotion before letting their lease lapse and moving on, creating further disruptions in the market that is ranked as the 10th most expensive for renting in the nation.
In addition to consensus that the “whining” ought to stop, many agreed that a surefire way to a changed tune would be to become a landlord and see how long it takes before bailing out or making the same pricing decisions as other property owners dealing with tax hikes and inflation as well as updates to laws and regulations.
Besides paying for the building, maintenance, taxes and insurance, the landlord eats it when tenants don’t pay their rent. They have to go to court to kick them out and that takes months. Your rent subsidizes the scofflaws, just like your shopping tab pays for the shoplifters.
— YouDon’tSay (@YouDontSay22893) July 21, 2026
Landlords save up money from rents to cover the repairs when people like you trash their apartments and the entire unit needs to be drywalled, painted, carpeted, counters replaced and appliances replaced when you move out after being late on your rent for six months
— Gordon 💥🇺🇸💥✡️ (@StopTheCoup2020) July 21, 2026
That’s just asinine. Learn about supply and demand and why it works.
If LL’s are making huge sums, then others get in on the act, increasing supply and hence decreasing price.
Grab a Thomas Sowell book or watch Milton Friedman’s “Free to Choose” series on Youtube.— PROGRESSIVES SUCK (@co2isfood) July 21, 2026
Become a landlord and charge nothing because you are so generous or keep renting and shut your mouth.
— Trump is Our President (@JFleckenAlvarez) July 20, 2026
I was a landlord for 5 years. It sucked! You have no idea what you’re talking about.
— Patriotten (@MarshaLVW) July 19, 2026
I rented an apartment when I was starting off, and then I bought a house after I got married. What you’re saying is hard or impossible to do is, in fact, done by almost everybody who eventually buys a house.
— Tim Hamilton (@TSHamiltonAstro) July 20, 2026
Rental units serve two people: landlords, who assume risk and invest their hard earned money for the chance to make a profit, and tenants, who get a place to live without any risk or major capital investment.
Take profit away from risk takers, rentals disappear & rent goes up.
— Nathan Speth (@Speth27) July 20, 2026
Ignorance is bliss? If you have never rented your property to someone you don’t know then you have no idea what you are talking about. Renting is like marriage, you really don’t know till you say, “I do.”
— Bob Christian (@robertcbobjr) July 20, 2026
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