On June 16 the Board of Sups is holding a public hearing to consider county code changes on the proposal to limit short-term vacation rentals in order to preserve housing stock for long term residency.
I only heard about this through a friend...no mailings or communication sent.
If you have an opinion on this relevant issue it is urgent that you immediately:
Go to Board of Supervisors site agenda: http://santacruzcountyca.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=1802&MediaPosition=...
To comment on item, scroll to bottom: Use the “Add Comments” tool on the meeting portal website. My comments are pasted below.
Also email Supervisors: john.leopold@santacruzcounty.us ; zach.friend@santacruzcounty.us ; greg.caput@santacruzcounty.us ryan.coonerty@santacruzcounty.us bruce.mcpherson@santacruzcounty.us
Director of Planning: kathy.molloy@santacruzcounty.us cc: Susan.Galloway@santacruzcounty.us (is deputy clerk to Sups)
My letter is below:
1. There has NOT been adequate notice of these significant proposed changes. As a permitted vacation rental owner with the county, you have my mailing address, email address, and phone. I received NO information from the county regarding this.
The vast majority of permitted owners are entirely unaware as well. COVID- moratoriums were appropriate, reasonable & well communicated, and we complied with them. Proposing to make these significant changes on the back of the COVID financial impact, & without adequate notification is insensitive, unethical, and violates the public trust we place in you.
I am working 2 jobs, managing kids with childcare & trying to work a FT job simultaneously from home. So, hearing that the County is proposing taking a way a significant income source for many people, and that we were not notified, and then when if/when we happen to find out, it's too late to arrange an entire afternoon away....It just demonstrates that you are SO OUT OF TOUCH with what people are dealing with right now. It also demonstrates complete disregard for caregivers...often women, who represent a large percentage of vacation rental permit holders.
2. I strongly object at face value to this section "Require all vacation rental permits throughout the County to be renewed every 5 years". It isn't clear if this applies only to new vacation rental permits or existing.It implies new & existing and I have a big problem with that. We purchased this home, and turned it into a vacation rental because it was outside of the LODA and would not require the 5 year renewal.
It is also not clear how that 5-year renewal would be processed....would people be put at the bottom of the waitlist, needing to comply with the new caps, neighborhood notice process & waitlist process? If so, you would be essentially forcing me to sell my home, and would be taking away the security of my family, & taking away my business... I could not afford to keep it. I strongly suggest that this change applies to new permits only and not existing permits. Alternatively, there should be a process for existing permit holders, outside the restricted areas, to retain permits at the 5 year mark if they are in good standing & without citations.
3. I do not agree with the premise/ false assumption that restricting existing vacation rentals will significantly improve availability for long term rentals. Where is the data to support this assumption? I've never been asked to complete a survey. It seems that the County does not care about real input from impacted owners, via public meetings, engagement, surveys or data collection. I will never rent out the home to long term tenants. It is a home that I keep available for my aging parents when they come visit and that my 85 year old inlaws will need to move into when their health fails. It is the home that I already spent $100k fixing and don't want wear and tear from long term tenants, or challenges in removing tenants. I will not be able to keep my home if this is passed as worded. I would not have made this huge financial investment if the proposed rules were in place, or if I knew that the county could arbitrarily change the terms of my granted permit.
4. I strongly suggest that you remove this from the Tuesday agenda and spend some time and effort communicating with stakeholders about proposed changes and filling in the gaps related to process & applicability. You know how to reach us, and just chose NOT TO.
5. Do not go back on the rules that you established for existing permit holders & that we agreed to and have complied with Please demonstrate integrity and realize that we are not your enemy...we've worked hard & made financial investments in partnership with you and based on trust in you and the process you've laid out for us. Calculated moves like this, without data, communication, or opportunity for input, or grandfathering, violates the public trust that we've placed in you and the process.
