City facts, homes, address checks, school districts and local rules, each with its source.
Lemon Grove is an incorporated city in southwest San Diego County. It became a city on July 1, 1977, and had 27,627 residents at the 2020 Census on 3.879 square miles of land. The City says it is nine miles from downtown San Diego. Before you make an offer, check the exact address for HOA documents and Mello-Roos, fire, flood and airport zones, and assigned schools in two separate districts. Read the local rules on short-term rentals, tenants and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) too.
General information only, not legal advice. See the note near the end of this page.
Want a Lemon Grove real estate agent to look at a specific home with you? Karina Somenzari, REALTOR®, works with buyers and sellers in Lemon Grove and across San Diego County's cities and communities, in English or Portuguese; contracts and escrow documents are in English.
| Topic | What the official record shows |
|---|---|
| City status | Incorporated July 1, 1977, as California's 414th city. It is one of San Diego County's 18 incorporated cities. |
| Location | The City says it is nine miles from downtown San Diego and 12 miles from the airport (rounded figures, not driving distances). The City of San Diego borders it on the west and south, La Mesa lies to the north, and the unincorporated community of Spring Valley adjoins it on the east. |
| Size and population | 27,627 residents at the 2020 Census. Land area is 3.879 square miles (Census Bureau, 2025 Gazetteer). |
| ZIP code | City Hall, at 3232 Main Street, is in ZIP 91945. Addresses near the city's edges can carry a neighboring ZIP code, so confirm the mailing address. |
| Police and fire | The City contracts with the San Diego County Sheriff's Office for law enforcement. Fire service comes from a joint powers authority with Heartland Fire and Rescue, which also serves La Mesa and El Cajon. |
| Utilities | Water: Helix Water District. Sewer: Lemon Grove Sanitation District. |
| Coastal Zone | The County's coastal zone map layer shows the city outside the California Coastal Zone. Confirm an address on the Coastal Commission's map. |
The City's Housing Element, certified by the state on December 26, 2023, describes a diverse housing stock. For a home you like, ask for the year built and the permits, then run the checks below.
Maps and special taxes are mapped by parcel, so run each check on the exact address. Some of them come in the seller's disclosure package, but you can look most of them up before you write an offer. The site's free property report covers fire, flood and fault zones for an address you enter.
In a resale home in a homeowners association (HOA), California Civil Code 4525 says the owner must give you the governing documents and a written statement of regular and special assessments. Read them before your contingencies end.
A Community Facilities District (CFD), commonly called Mello-Roos, adds a special tax to the annual bill of each parcel inside it. The County Auditor's FY 2025-2026 list shows one City of Lemon Grove district: Main St Promenade CFD 2013-1. The list doesn't say which parcels it covers or what it charges, so look at the home's current tax bill through the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector. Under Civil Code 1102.6b, the seller must make a good-faith effort to get the agency's notice and give it to you.
CAL FIRE released updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps on March 24, 2025. In Lemon Grove, the 2025 maps show High and Moderate zones in the local responsibility area, and no Very High zone. Together they cover small areas: about 22 acres of High and 27 acres of Moderate. Look up an address on the CAL FIRE map or use the City's map form.
FEMA's flood map shows a small Special Flood Hazard Area (Zone A, with no base flood elevation set) in the western part of the city. Most of the city is mapped Zone X, minimal flood hazard. The Housing Element says flooding most affects the industrial areas along Federal Boulevard, and that some residential areas flood locally after prolonged rain outside any mapped FEMA zone. Look up the address at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. If a home is in a Special Flood Hazard Area and your mortgage comes from a federally regulated, supervised or insured lender, flood insurance is required.
Part of Lemon Grove lies within the Airport Influence Area for Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, in what the maps call Review Area 2. Ask the Airport Land Use Commission what applies to a project. On a resale, a natural hazard expert's disclosure report must say whether the home is in an airport influence area, and if so it includes a "Notice of Airport in Vicinity."
Two districts serve Lemon Grove: Lemon Grove School District for the lower grades and Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) for high school. Which school a home is assigned to turns on its address, so look it up with each district.
| District | Address lookup |
|---|---|
| Lemon Grove School District | District Boundaries Map |
| Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) | GUHSD School Locator |
District lines don't always follow city limits. A small part of La Mesa sits inside the Lemon Grove School District, so a few edge addresses run the other way. The City also lists its school addresses on its local schools page. This page doesn't rate or rank schools.
Lemon Grove allows only home-sharing, where the host lives on site during the guest's stay, and it requires a Home-Sharing Permit and a business license. Vacation rentals are prohibited. The ordinance (No. 452) was adopted on May 7, 2019 and took effect June 7, 2019. It is in Municipal Code Chapter 18.48. Hosts must also collect and remit transient occupancy tax (TOT). See the City's home-sharing page.
If you own or are buying a rental, state law (AB 1482, Civil Code 1946.2) applies. Lemon Grove also had an urgency just-cause ordinance that took effect February 3, 2026, for 180 days. On September 1, 2026, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 475, which adds Chapter 18.52, "Just Cause Eviction," to the Municipal Code. It took effect October 1, 2026, and some parts, including filing no-fault termination notices with the City and the landlord notice to tenants, start January 1, 2027. This page doesn't summarize its exemptions or relocation terms. Read the ordinance on the City's site, call Community Development at (619) 825-3800, and ask an attorney how it applies to your property.
The City has an ADU page that describes a preapproved-plans program with a 30-day streamlined approval. Its development standards handout lists the zones that allow ADUs and junior ADUs (RL, RLM, RM, RMH, RP and CG). The state housing department wrote the City on December 10, 2025 that its ADU ordinance doesn't comply with state ADU law, so this page gives no local size or setback numbers. Confirm current rules with the City, and if a home has an extra unit, ask for the permits. See the City's ADU page.
The City is updating its Downtown Specific Plan. Its page says the Planning Commission acted on September 28, 2026 and that a City Council public hearing was noticed for October 20, 2026. This page doesn't report the outcome, so check the City's Downtown Specific Plan page for the result.
State Route 94 borders the city on the north, and State Route 125 is next to its eastern border. The San Diego Trolley Orange Line has two stations in Lemon Grove: Massachusetts Avenue at 1787 San Altos Pl. and Lemon Grove Depot at 3443 Main St. The Housing Element calls for mixed-use villages near the trolley stations. The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) is the local transit provider. For schedules and any changes, use the MTS trolley page.
The City's planning documents name two areas clearly, both tied to the trolley. Neighborhood boundaries are informal, so ask about a specific address.
The Downtown Village Specific Plan (adopted in 2005 and amended in 2012) covers the Downtown Village and the Civic Center area, which the General Plan calls Special Treatment Area 1. It is bounded by North Avenue on the north, Olive Street on the west, Lincoln Street and Central Avenue on the south, and School Lane, Grove Street and Kempf Street on the east. The plan describes mostly commercial and civic uses with some housing. The Main Street Promenade is the pedestrian-oriented district around the trolley station north of Broadway, and the Lemon Grove Depot station is at 3443 Main St. The City is updating this plan, as described under Downtown plans above.
The Housing Element calls for a Specific Plan for Special Treatment Area II near the Massachusetts Avenue trolley station, which is at 1787 San Altos Pl.
The Housing Element says La Mesa is to the north, communities of the City of San Diego such as Skyline Paradise Hills adjoin the western and southern boundaries, and the unincorporated community of Spring Valley adjoins the eastern border. See the Spring Valley guide and the La Mesa guide.
The City lists six municipal parks: Berry Street Park, Lemon Grove Park, Dan Kunkel Park, Firefighter's Skate Park, Veteran's Memorial Park and Treganza Heritage Park. See the City's parks page for details. The Lemon Grove Library, a San Diego County Library branch, is at 3001 School Lane. The City also names a summer Concerts and Movies in the Park series and an annual Community Bonfire.
If you own in Lemon Grove, several of the checks above are part of your disclosure package: the Natural Hazard Disclosure report, HOA documents, any Mello-Roos notice, the airport notice and, for homes built before 1978, the lead-paint disclosure. California requires other forms too, starting with the Transfer Disclosure Statement. The County charges documentary transfer tax of $0.55 per $500 of value ($1.10 per $1,000). Title-company guides list no added city transfer tax for Lemon Grove; confirm with your escrow officer. The county-wide guide, selling a house in San Diego, lists the disclosures, costs and timing. You can also ask for a free home value estimate.
Karina Somenzari, REALTOR®, is a real estate agent licensed in California (DRE# 02248263) with eXp Realty of California, Inc. She represents buyers and sellers in Lemon Grove and across San Diego County, in English or Portuguese. Contracts and escrow documents are in English.
To start, tell her about your plans, call 619-369-4598 or, if you're selling, ask what your Lemon Grove home is worth. To see how she works in Portuguese, read working with a Portuguese-speaking real estate agent.
Lemon Grove is its own city in San Diego County, separate from the City of San Diego. It was incorporated on July 1, 1977, and it is one of the county's 18 incorporated cities. The City of San Diego borders it on the west and south, La Mesa is to the north, and the unincorporated community of Spring Valley is to the east.
Two districts serve the city: Lemon Grove School District for the lower grades and Grossmont Union High School District for high school. Assignment depends on the exact address, and district lines don't always follow city limits. Use the Lemon Grove School District boundaries map and the GUHSD School Locator, then confirm with the district.
Some homes may. The County Auditor's FY 2025-2026 list of active Mello-Roos districts shows one City of Lemon Grove district, Main St Promenade CFD 2013-1. The list doesn't say which parcels it covers, so check the home's current property tax bill and the seller's Mello-Roos disclosure notice. Other special taxes can still apply.
Yes. The San Diego Trolley Orange Line has two stations in Lemon Grove: Massachusetts Avenue (1787 San Altos Pl.) and Lemon Grove Depot (3443 Main St.). MTS lists the stations on its trolley page. Check MTS for schedules.
Only as home-sharing. The City allows it with a permit and a business license when the host lives on site during the stay. Vacation rentals are prohibited. The rules are in Municipal Code Chapter 18.48.
Use CAL FIRE's Fire Hazard Severity Zone map, the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and the Airport Land Use Commission's page. For a particular home, the zones are stated in the Natural Hazard Disclosure report the seller provides. This site's property report also covers fire, flood and fault zones for an address you enter.
Karina offers a free, no-pressure conversation in English or Portuguese, whether you're buying or selling in Lemon Grove (contracts and escrow documents are in English). Bring an address and she'll walk through the checks above with you.