CityofSantaBarbara
By the City of Santa Barbara
The City launched its Short-Term Rental Enforcement Pilot Program, today, August 1, 2023.
The 12-month pilot program was funded by the City Council on April 25, 2023, with the goal to increase enforcement of illegal short-term rentals and gain a better understanding of the type, seasonality, location, and number of short-term rentals operating in the City. The City Attorney’s Office will oversee the program.
If you have concerns about a location being used for short-term rentals, please file a complaint by phone through our Hotline at (805) 897-1934 or complete the online complaint form at our webpage at https://santabarbaraca.gov/government/departments/city-attorney
No!
Yes. And it’s about time even if this temporizing action will do little. Housing is so limited and local workers and students and families should be given priority access.
This will just drain taxpayer money, the City has proven that time and time again. They are inefficient, to say the least. Agree w Mesa. How can you tell someone who owns a rental that they HAVE to rent it to students or families, specifically? They own something valuable, and shouldn’t they be able to rent it for market rate?
True, but no one’s talking commercial fish processing here. It’s about rentals. Short or long term right?
Communities have all kinds of regulations. Like zoning: you may not open a fish processing business or a night club in a residential area, for example. Even if it’s the most cost effective use of your property. In this case, our local government (we, the people) have said we don’t want short term renters in every neighborhood.
AHCHOO, actually, the City allow a fish business in a residential area on the eastside!
Gonna need Munger’s nightmare(for locals) to house all the students that will be evicted from someone who needs help with their bills.
This program will not evict students. It’s meant to keep people from renting to people who are on vacation for a few days to a week, up to a month. Vacation rentals can be very lucrative for the property owner, and though they aren’t hassle-free, it’s a different set of hassles than with long term rentals. But every dwelling that is for vacationers is another that is not available for local working folks.
They aren’t really going agressively after STRs. They initially said that, but now they say they will only pursue action on reports of STRs by other citizens. That’s how the City does all of its enforcement BTW.
Gywneth Paltrow just listed her guesthouse on Airbnb. Are they going to “crack down” on her?
Grab some popcorn!
789–
If true that Paltrow listed her guesthouse, how do you know it’s illegal?
Does Paltrow live in the city? Or does it just make a better story to imply she does?
No, she lives in Montecito
Ho did the Illegally Converted Garage Enforcement Pilot Program work out?
True you can’t have it both ways letmego. Property rights are just that. Just seems the city and county could harness the situation and make money, then turn that into rental/housing assistance for essential workers. And agree basicinfo, not everyone that wants to live here can do so.
Hurrah!! The city is helping regular people aka the ever dwindling almost non existent middle class here to be able to stay in SB by creating many more affordable smaller units to rent. It is now up to all of us to call in illegal rentals and create opportunities for people who work and live here and created a life for themselves in SB. The more people call in, the more legal long term rentals will be created, the more rentals come on the regular rental market, the more rental prices will go down!! Make SB affordable again and become part of this positive change!
On that note, landlords: do not push your old furniture on us renters. We don’t want to look at nor live with the ugly cheap stuff you had in your garage since the 80 ‘s either. Stop trying to dump your garbage on us while charging js rent for it. Donate, recycle and take a tax deduction!
My elderly friend rents her extra bedroom with own entrance to traveling nurses. They stat a few months are always quiet and respectful. This helps her to be able to stay in her home. Then you have my neighbors who rent their home full time huge rent to multiple students they are loud rude and there all year it’s like a revolving door. I’d much rather have short term neighbors.
A short term rental is less than 30 days, so it’s unlikely that this effort will have any impact on students or visiting nurses or the like.
Like Mebk, I much prefer short term to long term renters as neighbors. I live on a shared driveway with close quarters, and the short term was managed beautifully by a professional rental agency, specifying over 40 year olds, and quiet hours at 9 pm. The regular renters on the other hand, had tons of cars, and random people coming and going and staying at length. I experienced theft and threats. Very nice, but nothing to be done by any government agency. As to short term, make it work ie taxes and registration to be legitimate plus three strikes and your out via valid neighborhood concerns. No one wants the bachelorette party next door. We are a tourist town and the biggest asset for most people is their home. Rent it to afford your own getaways or retirement. Large scale buy ups of properties to shift to vacation rentals are another matter and « should be « prevented, but how? Short term rentals are an owner’s right. PS I have only been here for 30 years, and there has been a housing crisis the whole time. Of course, help police,
and fire folks etc live nearby. In reality, there will NEVER be anywhere near enough affordable housing in this highly desirable slice of coastline.
“Large scale buy ups of properties to shift to vacation rentals are another matter and « should be « prevented, but how? Short term rentals are an owner’s right.”
You can’t have it both ways. Either it’s okay or it’s not.
This is more about registering and collecting bed taxes.
I hear the joys the STR owners scream about. I also and more importantly hear the pains that LTR’s are crying out for help about. These people, STR owners, keep saying its their right. Well, it is also our right and imho, our duty to protect our residential housing market for residents, not vacationers. Ciao
No one’s “screaming” socallocal. The ‘local’ vibe you’re going with might be about to be lost. I grew up here as did my parents and grandparents, and their parents. Does that give me a RIGHT to still live here? Or my kids to do so? I’d say no. They will have to make their own way. Wanting to and having a right to are totally different.