by Debbie L. Sklar / Times of San Diego / Feb. 20, 2026
In 1916, the sands of Mission Beach were dotted with striped canvas tents and cabana-style shelters, forming a temporary seaside neighborhood known as Tent City. Visitors and a handful of longer-term residents pitched their lives on the shoreline, enjoying the Pacific breezes, the surf, and a rare chance to live directly on the sand.
Tent City was located in:
• Old Mission Beach, generally west of present-day Mission Boulevard.
• Near Redondo Court, site of the former bathhouse.
• Beachfront parcels that later became permanent residential lots.
Promoted as an affordable coastal retreat, Tent City offered rental sites and small lots for sale, appealing to families and vacationers who wanted more than a day trip to the beach. The settlement reflected a broader early-20th-century trend in Southern California: transforming open beachfront into planned, accessible recreational communities.
Basic amenities supported the community. A bathhouse on Redondo Court provided washing facilities, while period accounts highlight social activities, ocean walks, and a strong sense of neighborhood among residents. Canvas dwellings lined the shore where permanent cottages and multi-story homes now stand.
Tent City thrived for several years but depended on flexible development standards. In 1922, the new city of San Diego’s health regulations restricted non-permanent residential structures, effectively ending the canvas experiment. Tents were removed, and property owners transitioned to permanent homes.
This transition marked a turning point. Streets were formalized, utilities expanded, and lot lines solidified. The dense grid that defines Old Mission Beach today reflects this era of permanent construction.
No structures from Tent City remain, but its imprint survives. Compact lot sizes west of Mission Boulevard, early pedestrian walkways, and archival photographs preserve the footprint of this brief seaside experiment.
Today, Mission Beach is known for its boardwalk, Belmont Park, and tightly packed residential streets. Tent City remains an important chapter in the neighborhood’s history — a fleeting period when beachfront life was temporary, communal, and shaped as much by imagination as by infrastructure.
Understanding Tent City adds depth to the story of Mission Beach, revealing the transitional period that paved the way for the modern coastal neighborhood.
Mission Beach Tent City — Timeline & Location Guide
c. 1916 — Tent City Established
Rows of striped canvas tents and cabana-style shelters were arranged along the sand in what is now Old Mission Beach, offering affordable beachfront living.
1916–1921 — A Seasonal Community
Families and vacationers rented tent spaces or small lots. A bathhouse operated on Redondo Court, providing basic facilities for residents.
1922 — Health Regulations End Canvas Housing
City health rules restricting non-permanent residential structures effectively brought Tent City to a close. Permanent homes gradually replaced tents.
1920s — Permanent Development Expands
Mission Beach transitioned into a formalized residential district with paved streets, utilities,s and fixed property lines.“Mission Beach History.” Mission Beach Women’s Club.
Sources
“Their Own Little World: Mission Beach.” San Diego Reader.
Historical Resource Technical Report, City of San Diego.
Don’t forget that Point Loma also had a Tent City! I recently read that Tent City was located near the intersection of Canon and Catalina Boulevard on part of Pueblo Lot 183. Many of the tenants spent their days at the Universal Brotherhood of Theosophists nearby.
The transition of Mission Beach’s housing and rental landscape unfolded in distinct phases, rooted in its early-20th-century origins as a temporary seaside community and evolving through regulatory changes, economic shifts, and the rise of modern platforms.
Tent City to Permanent Housing (1916–1920s)
Mission Beach’s Tent City emerged around 1916 as a seasonal, affordable beachfront settlement of striped canvas tents and cabana-style shelters, primarily in what is now Old Mission Beach (west of present-day Mission Boulevard, near areas like Redondo Court). It catered to vacationers and some longer-term residents renting spaces or small lots, supported by basic amenities like a bathhouse. This temporary setup reflected early Southern California trends toward accessible coastal recreation. However, in 1922, San Diego’s new health regulations banned non-permanent residential structures, forcing the removal of tents. Property owners then transitioned to permanent homes, marking a key turning point. By the 1920s, the area formalized into a residential district with paved streets, expanded utilities, fixed lot lines, and denser construction—laying the foundation for the compact grid of cottages and homes seen today. No original Tent City structures survive, but compact lots and walkways preserve its legacy.
Permanent Housing to Summer-Winter Rentals (Mid-20th Century Onward, Particularly 1950s–2000s)
Following the shift to permanent structures in the 1920s, Mission Beach developed into a stable residential neighborhood with year-round homes. By the 1950s through the early 2010s (pre-Airbnb era), many of these properties—around 400–500 units—operated as classic summer-winter rentals. Owners leased homes weekly during the peak summer months (typically the three high-demand months) to vacationers, then shifted to nine-month leases in the winter/off-season for longer-term tenants. This hybrid model achieved near-100% year-round occupancy, balancing tourism income with residential stability. It aligned with Mission Beach’s historical role as a seasonal vacation destination while maintaining a resident base.
Summer-Winter Rentals to Whole-Home Short-Term Rentals (Around 2010 Onward)
The landscape changed dramatically starting around 2010, when platforms like Airbnb launched and popularized easy whole-home short-term rentals. This shifted many properties from seasonal summer-winter arrangements to year-round STRs, often whole-home listings available for short stays (e.g., days or weeks) throughout the year. The number of whole-home STRs in Mission Beach reportedly grew from about 400 in 2010 to around 1,800 by 2018, displacing thousands of long-term residents (estimates of 2,500–3,000) and reducing year-round occupancy in many units. This proliferation strained local housing stock, contributed to higher rents, and prompted regulatory responses, including San Diego’s Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) Ordinance (effective 2023), which caps whole-home STRs citywide at 1% of housing units (excluding Mission Beach) and allows up to 30% in Mission Beach under Tier 4 licensing due to its vacation heritage. Applications for new Tier 4 licenses have been limited, with reopenings (e.g., in 2025) and waitlists reflecting ongoing demand and contention.
This progression—from temporary tents to permanent homes, seasonal hybrids, and finally platform-driven year-round STRs—highlights Mission Beach’s enduring identity as a tourist-oriented coastal enclave, while also fueling debates over housing access, community character, and equitable use of limited beachfront properties.
For nearly 60 years, 100 percent occupancy in Mission Beach year round, compared to now, when the occupancy of whole home STRs reaches a maximum of 86 percent in August and a minimum of 48 percent in January. This is not a compromise, not a balance. It is pure greed.
Born and raised at the beach,lived at the beach in the 50’s-60’s-70’s,it’s unbelievable now,it’s sad to she how ruined it is.Only people that were born here know how good it used to be.I’m sad beyond belief.Glad I was there then,it was heaven.