San Diego shutting down vacation rental

[Francesca28]

Help what do I do, I love hosting and just bought a second property to host-guest. Now the city is going to shut down vacation rentals.

Any suggestions?

[Mikki0]

@Francesca28 contact your local home sharing club and see if they have any advice for you. 

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Short-Term-Rental-Alliance-of/gp-p/en_sandiego

Here in Long Beach, we are meeting with city council members, sharing stories about why we home share, etc.  

[Francesca28]

Thanks, Mikki, is it helping? What is the status now in  Long Beach? Are you going to try to venture out on your own? Have you contacted your previous guest?

[Mikki0]

The city of Long Beach hired Lisa Wise Consulting Group to help craft an ordinance. So far, they've had shareholder interviews, a public workshop, a survey, a second workshop where the results of all the above were broken down. There is another workshop in October, before they hand the city their recommendations. 

Contact your group and see if there are any Airbnb employees that are in charge of a community awareness for your area. 

Airbnb also released a document showing how Airbnb guests spent $42 million in 2017 in Long Beach businesses from restaurants to shopping to mass transit. The dollar amounts are staggering and city council members need to know. They also need to hear from hosts (who also vote!) the reasons why they hosts. Also, if you can get any local businesses to support airbnb, especially businesses that are NOT near the touristy spots. It is an interesting effort to get council members, non hosts and others to understand "gig" economy, to combat all the negative stories that most complainers only hear about and never experience. 

There is also the California Coastal Commission who understands that visitors to coastal communities are a benefit. 

If you want to join our group just for information, it is located at https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Long-Beach-Home-Sharing-Club/gp-p/Long-Beach

Good luck! 

[Stephan-And-Skye0]

I heard about San Diego and am just shocked!  Starting next year you can only do Airbnb if it is your primary residence and for only so many days.  I read that over 80% of the current homes will be delisted.  I just can't believe it.  I am so sad because I was hoping to buy a vacation rental there in Mission Bay sometime in the next 5-10 years.  But if you can't short term rental a property I am out.  

There are so many cities working hard to fight Airbnb.  It's going to take a massive push by guests and hosts to keep Airbnb going!

Here in Idaho ... there were so many cities fighting against Airbnb that the people went to their state legsilatures and believe it or not we won!  The state stepped in and leagalized Airbnb.  No county or municipality can ban short term rentals or regulate its market place.   Short term rental anywhere in the state is now considered a residential activity. 

If you are interested here is the full house bill that passed.  Idaho House Bill 216:  https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2017/legislation/H0216.pdf

[Francesca28]

Thanks so much for the information. Sorry that your dream of owning a vacation rental in Mission Beach may not happen. I just purchased 5 units in North Park for the purpose of having a vacation rental, which is the only way a can positively cash flow. Fantastic news about Idaho. Thanks so much for passing on the  Idaho house bill 216.

[Alicia336]

You can still rent them out as long-term rentals if you live off-site, just cannot do short term unless you live on site and have 2 as STR and 2 as LTR, and of course, pay the additional fees on top of the taxes and fees that all hosts already incur. I believe that you can have 2 STR units if you live on site, max. The whole thing is so stupid, I really hope California Coastal Commission vetoes it because it is absurb and completely lobbied by the hoteliers here. No other city in the nation has such restrictions.

[Catherine1075]

I live in SD and just started Airbnb for my Casita... I know a lot of people are arguing that there are large groups that were buying up properties. Consequently, there are no places for people to live or rent.  But I think it’s a happy balance somewhere in the middle. I personally don’t think that people should be able to buy numerous properties to Airbnb, I believe in free enterprise but there has to be a balance. 

[Mark679]

We need to fight back,  this entire csmpsign has been financed by the hotrl industry , the are lying to scsrevpeopl into giving up their property rights. I want to join the fight.  mawunch@msn.com

[Mark116]

It's too bad airbnb doesn't use more of it's own money to conduct studies and mine it's algo for information to show how much tourism money it brings to cities and towns and that it is a benefit for these municipalities.  

[Alicia336]

They absolutely do. They have a very robust legal team.

[Sam-and-Adam0]

They totally do!! We've formed a group to 'fight'/work with/educate our county government to try to find some compromise in terms of allowing/regulating/licencing STRs. Airbnb has given us fantastic stats for our County, and also about how the STRs help in terms of how tourist dollars are further spent in our communities. 

I believe they even had a representative available at our town hall meeting (if not I believe via live chat)~ for our tiny small Canadian farming town, pop. of 1800 😉 (We're small but a really poular tourist town because we're in 'wine county' with amazing beaches, so I'd think Air also has some small interest if all the STRs closed)

[Aaron309]

I'd love to hear Airbnb's voice in this conversation.

I'm sure you've read there are a couple hurdles before this goes into effect, coastal comission, potential suit from home away and airbnb, a clarical mistake at the council meeting yesterday potentially violating the brown act.

In other words the discussion has just begun and I'm hopful a less restrictive version of the rules will be adopted next year.

[Kelly564]

I can't imagine with the many years of vacation rentals and the tourism it brings in, how they can make this happen, it's absolutely ridiculous. I have family in SD and think AirBnb is such a gift to those of us who like to visit and NOT stay in a hotel. I am anxious to see AirBnb's response too... I am sure it's coming....

[James411]

Seriously?  Airbnb is riddled with fraud, illegal units that do not comply with occupancy rules, zoning rules etc.  This is what happens when you allow unregulated use of residences.....it's mindless and fueled by money grubbers willing to do anything for a buck.