More San Diego homes for sale last year came with homeowners association fees, and those dues continued to climb, Realtor.com data shows.

Why it matters: Rising HOA fees add to the already high cost of homeownership here that makes renting cheaper than owning.

By the numbers: About 57% of San Diego County homes listed for sale on Realtor.com last year had HOA dues, up from 55% in 2024.

• The median monthly fee rose to $367 from $340 in 2024. Dues can stretch beyond $1,000 at downtown condos.
• The median listing price for homes with HOAs here is $769,900.

Between the lines: Thousands of local residents are facing higher insurance premiums on properties because of extreme weather threats like wildfires and floods, which is pushing HOA fees up.

Zoom in: Residents pay HOA dues to fund maintenance and amenities like pools and gyms.

• Associations also often enforce strict rules on everything from holiday decor to lawn care, with fines for residents who fail to comply.

Reality check: We don't have it quite as bad as others in California when it comes to HOAs.

• The media monthly HOA fee in the Bay Area was $502 last year and $429 in the LA metro.

The big picture: Nationally, roughly 44% of homes listed for sale last year had HOA dues, and median monthly fees were $135 — both up from 2024.

• HOA fees are more common in the West and South, where condos, townhouses and newly built homes represent a larger share of listings, according to the real estate site.

The intrigue: "The condo's traditional affordability advantage over single-family homes is eroding — and in many markets, it has reversed entirely," housing economist Aziz Sunderji writes in his newsletter, Home Economics.

Tell a condo owner

Nearly 13 million people visited California's national parks in 2025 — a record high, according to new National Park Service data.

Why it matters: People can't get enough of our great outdoors, even as the parks faced firings and layoffs, price hikes via executive order and a government shutdown.

State of play: Last year, the state's nine national parks attracted about 800,000 more visitors than in 2024.

• The increase was driven by Yosemite, Lassen, Sequoia, Redwood and Kings Canyon national parks.
• Visits declined at the others, including Joshua Tree.

Fun fact: Nearly twice as many visitors saw the redwoods last year compared to 2024.

Recreational visits by national park in 2025:

• Yosemite (4.3 million)
• Joshua Tree (2.9 million)
• Sequoia (1.38 million)
• Death Valley (1.32 million)

The big picture: Yosemite ranked fifth for visitors among national parks nationwide last year, knocking down Rocky Mountain National Park.

What we're watching: The crowds could get even bigger this year as Yosemite ditched reservations.

Tell a park enthusiast

💒 Kasie and Matt Sopha were among thousands of runners who did the GOVX Half Marathon on Sunday. They finished the race together in 1:46:57 and then got married that night. (InMotion)

🏡 Some San Diegans are using a little-known state law aimed at preserving historic homes to save big on their property taxes (Union-Tribune)

💰 At least seven local school boards have voted to raise their own salaries — some tripling their pay — after a new state law lifted a four-decade cap on compensation. (inewsource)

📺 Nexstar Media Group now owns the local CBS, Fox and CW affiliates along with KUSI. (UT)

⛱️ In a very on brand move, Del Mar passed an ordinance banning "hazardous holes" deeper than 2 feet on the beach. (KPBS)

These days, it feels like you're lucky if you can find gas under $5.50 a gallon, but there are still a few holdouts around town.

The big picture: Gas prices have seriously spiked after the U.S. and Israel's strikes on Iran late last month and have remained high as the war escalates.

By the numbers: The average price of gas here is $5.85 a gallon, according to AAA.

• That's more than the statewide average of $5.76.

Zoom in: But you can find a few stations selling gas for around $5 a gallon, according to GasBuddy, which crowdsources prices.

• At last check, Super Star in La Mesa was at $5.05 a gallon.
• Sycuan Market in El Cajon, Super Star in El Cajon, and Golden State in El Cajon and Lemon Grove are all at $5.09 a gallon if you pay in cash.

Caveat: Prices change often, so check GasBuddy's map for the latest deals.

Meanwhile, some users on Reddit report gas well over $6 a gallon in places like Coronado and Old Town.

Tell someone planning a road trip

Shoutout to our readers for suggesting Coco & Jules in Normal Heights on my mission to find San Diego's best chocolate chip cookie.

Dig in: This local bakery's chewy classic chocolate chip cookie made with oats and sprinkled with sea salt is definitely a contender.

• It's rich and gooey but not overly sweet.

Yes, but: If you have a serious sweet tooth, the sugary, buttery, slightly salty cinnamon roll cookie with a homemade buttercream frosting swirl was even better.

The freshly baked selection changes daily as each baker decides which cookie flavors to put in the oven that day.

• Coco & Jules' cookies, cupcakes, and other treats are all gluten-free and nut-free.

More sweet deets