Palm Springs New Vacation Rental Restrictions

[Jeff101]

Fellow Palm Springs Hosts

As you may well know the Palm Springs City Council has passed new restrictions on Short Term Vacation Rentals, and the most onerosu is the limitation of 32 contracts per year.  There are a lot of people - not just vacation home owners - that are unhappy about the local goverment's actions.  We want to get discussion going so we can be unified in action.

One good spot where conversation is going on is on https://www.facebook.com/Brian.L.Wilson/posts/10154371071719317

Lets get into action!

[Keith39]

I realize this is an older thread, but just wanted to note that there is a new organization for vacation rental owners in Palm Springs. It's called [Link Hidden] "Vacation Rental Owners and Neighbors of Palm Springs. 

This organization, which any Palm Springs vacation rental permit holder may join, literally has a "seat at the table" in the ongoing Vacation Rental Stakeholder meetings (one of which is taking place today).  I urge all other Palm Springs VR permit holders to join!  (I'm not a found of this group, but have been working with them since before their official formation, and I was one of the first members.)

On a similar note: There are now nearly 6 months of data in weekly hotline call reports published by the Vacation Rental Compliance Department.  Since they started posting these, I've been adding reports to a database, mapping calls and citations, and analyzing the data.

I published the most recent version of my findings in a new infographic this week.  You can learn more about this project by visiting the Medium article I published earlier today with links to the infographic and my vacation rental hotline map project:

 [Link Hidden] 

Best Regards,

Keith

[Lesley28]

Thanks Keith! I have joined this group and I'm grateful to have an advocate. However the meetings are always during the week and as a homeowner that lives out of town it's nearly impossible to attend. I hope they can find a way to livestream it or a video that can be watched . I think the city has violated my rights and has invaded my privacy with their required "lists" of friends and family. Also the link you shared isn't working , could you repost it as im

very interested. Thank you so much!  to attend. attend. 

[Keith39]

Hi Lesley,

Ah, I see that the Community site seems to obfuscate links in comments.  Hmm.  Well, if this doesn't work (here's the link to my article again):

https://medium.com/@ElrodVilla/vacation-rentals-in-palm-springs-4d4ac2efbbf1

You can just Google "Vacation Rentals in Palm Springs
Findings from Nearly 6 Months of City of Palm Springs Vacation Rental Hotline Reports" and that should bring it right up.

Best Regards,

Keith

[Golf0]

As many other home owners in Palm Springs, I too have my issues with the new ordinance targeted against home owners who allow short term vacation rentals. I do understand that the City and Palms Springs residents do not wish to be subject to loud and disturbing vacationers. I also understand that such disturbances must be subject to fines.

What I do not understand is why home owners are penalized even though they themselves are not the ones disturbing anyone. All we do as homeowners is optimize revenues from our real-estate investments. That is not against the law.

I for one feel harassed and discriminated by the City, because it should be up me - the homeowner alone-  who I allow in my home. Not up to the City. Like many other home owners, I live of my rental income and will may be forced to sell (or loose) my home due to the Cities actions, which are clearly set up with the goal to eliminate  short term rentals. 

 It’s appears that the City is using the residents “complaints” as an excuse to make way to  all the new hotels who are about to be launched in the City (ie (the Virgin hotel and others) .

 I feel this is an invasion of privacy and harassment as it is threatening my livelihood. 

I am currently researching potential legal steps one can take to stop this development.  Anyone who knows a good lawyer and/or wishes to combine forces, feel free to contact me .  My view is that we homeowners should be allowed the freedom to use our homes as we wish, as long as we stay within the City ordinance and make sure our guests do not disturb anyone.  

[Jeff101]

Jeanette,

We all feel your pain. Please read Keith Crossley's post above and do join vacation rental owners and neighbors of Palm Springs.  Also, check out the organization we love palm springs. I'd give you the links but it seems as if airbnb is scrubbing them.  Bruce Hoban and David Feltman are very active in both of these groups.

BTW, they are actively fighting the vacation rental ban intitiative that is going on this June's ballot and are representing vacation rental owners in legal proceedings.  These are valuable resources and I strongly urge you to check them out. 

Kris & Jeff

[DragonflyHill-Collective0]

Hi, I'm an airbnb host in Los Angeles, considering leaving L.A. and moving to the PS area if the proposed ordinance here is passed because it would make it very hard for me to afford to stay here. I would like to home shaire (from my own home) no matter where I live. I just really love this work.  We've been very active in mobilization here. Would also like to connect with hosts in the PS area. Are there any fb groups for hosting in any of the desert communities? I wasn't able to find them. 

[Keith39]

Hey @DragonflyHill-Collective0, 

So, the latest from Palm Springs is that there is a citizens' initiative ballot measure ("Measure C") on the June 5th 2018 ballot.  That initiative seeks to ban vacation rentals in Palm Springs. (The details are complex.) If Measure C is voted into law, short-term vacation rentals would in R-1 zoned neighborhoods would be banned and would be unable to renew their vacation rental permits after a sunset period.

Now, the measure backers tried to design the law such that HOMESHARING is still allowed. However, there is conflicting language in Measure C which makes it unclear if homesharing would really still be legal.

In short, if Measure C passes, the status of homesharing in Palm Springs will be in question.

The "good news" is that a huge coalition (www.welovepalmsprings.org) -- which includes the entire City Council, Mayor, the Chamber of Commerce, almost all other businesses, the hotel associations, etc., etc., etc. -- are united AGAINST Measure C.

However, at present it is of course impossible to tell with any certainty whether the Measure will pass or not. But we will know the results of the vote very soon.

In terms of organizations: One of the lead organizations that lead the effort against Measure C is "Vacation Rental Owners and Neighbors of Palm Springs" (see www.vronps.org). Membership in this organization is open to any Palm Springs vacation rental or homesharing permit holder.

There is a private Facebook group whose membership is also restricted to VR and homesharing permit holders. If you don't have an active permit, it is unlikely that you would be granted access (there have been attempts to infiltrate this private group, as you might imagine).

Hope some of this helps. If you're interested in VRs and Homesharing in Palm Springs, best to keep an eye on the news about Measure C.  Best source of info is, once again, www.welovepalmsprings.org, the "Vote NO on Measure C" campaign.

Best Regards,

Keith

[Linda108]

Palm Springs is a fabulous city, but as to short term rentals, the city really dropped the ball and now it is a very polarized situation.  @DragonflyHill-Collective0  I live in La Quinta and the city is pro-active and a great place for STR.  Look into it.

[Andy138]

Thanks Keith. I am part of the Dragonfly team,  We do have listings in L.A., but not in Palm Springs, and we're very active in the fight here. We've written several position papers, a point by point analysis of the proposed (L.A.) ordinance, a proposal for a win win decision that could allow grandfathering in L.A. but if it goes through, we're looking elsewhere to live and to home share and housing is much more affordable in the Coachella Valley.

We would like to participate in any fb groups that would allow me entry, and I can provide ample evidence of our work both as airbnb hosts and home sharing activists.

You can check out our writing on our blog dragonflyhill.wordpress.com, we also have a facebook page.

[DarrenChaker0]

I must say it is unfortunate such restrictions exist since the hotels are the primary winners when lower cost housing is pushed out. I frequent the desert, especially during Coachella, Stage Coach and winter, and truly wish the opportunity were there so people who cannot afford the high prices can still experience Palm Springs and the surrounding area.

Best to everyone here, Darren Chaker.