Mt. Hope Cemetery, the only active, city-owned burial ground in the country that has offered affordable interment to San Diegans since 1869, could run out of burial lots as soon as January, according to sources who spoke with Voice & Viewpoint.
The cemetery is the final resting place of six mayors and prominent Black figures such as Dr. Jack Kimbrough, Ervin “Big Boy” Groves, a bandleader and blues pianist, and Nathan Harrison, San Diego County’s first African-American homesteader.
Its baseline prices for plots and graveside services are significantly lower than private corporate cemeteries in the county, ensuring that families in the surrounding areas find a place nearby to lay their loved ones to rest. Burial at the cemetery ranges from $3,000 to $5,000, with a cremation burial plot costing $1,000.
According to Sean Elo-Rivera, councilmember for the area, there are about 82 full-body plots remaining in the cemetery. “At the current rate, all full-body plots in the developed area of the cemetery are about to be sold in January 2027,” the District 9 councilmember told The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint.
The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint requested interviews with Parks and Recreation, which oversees the cemetery. It referred us to the city’s communications department, which sent this statement.
“The City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department is closely monitoring the availability of the remaining burial lots and developing options for future opportunities in compliance with City Charter Section 55,” the statement said.
The statement went on to say: “Upon identifying options, the Department will update City leadership and the public with its recommendations before making any decisions regarding the site’s future use.”
Elo-Rivera said he has asked for a meeting with the Parks and Recreation department on the next steps to developing the undeveloped cemetery portions. He said he had not been informed of the shortage, though a source, who did not want to be identified, said districts 9 and 4 offices discussed the dwindling burial plots two years ago and made no decision.
A recent report said the city is planning to develop 10 acres near Market and 36th streets to add to the 110 acres of the cemetery. Councilmember Elo-Rivera didn’t confirm the planned areas for development.
The cemetery’s perpetuity fund reached $14 million as of August 2026, according to a report by the City of San Diego Funds Commission. The fund, which comes from a 20 percent deposit of all sales of burial plots, cannot be used for the maintenance or expansion of the cemetery according to the city’s Charter Section 55. Instead, it is invested in securities. The income generated from it, plus the remaining 80 percent of sales, can be used for upkeep.
