"The measure, targeting Airbnb and other tourist rental websites, explicitly bars renting units for fewer than 30 days. The measure legalizes home-sharing - the rental of a couch or spare bedroom, for instance - as long as the host registers with the city and pays taxes."
"Those tourist units account for about 1,400 of 1,700 short-term rentals advertised on three major websites, according to a city report. While short-term rentals have long been technically illegal in most of Santa Monica, those rules have been lightly enforced. Now the city plans to establish strict penalties."
"Supporters of the bill - a coalition of housing advocates, neighborhood groups and hotel workers - came out in force for the public hearing two weeks ago but were sparse Tuesday night."
Santa Monica's City Council unanimously approved strict regulations on short-term rentals, prohibiting rentals shorter than 30 days while permitting home-sharing of spare rooms or couches for registered hosts who pay taxes. The measure targets platforms like Airbnb to prevent landlords from converting residential apartments into full-time tourist rentals. Approximately 1,400 of 1,700 advertised short-term rentals were tourist units rather than true home-sharing. Despite a rally of over 100 hosts opposing the measure, claiming it helps them afford living in the expensive beach city, the council approved the ordinance in under a minute with no debate. The regulations take effect in 30 days with strict enforcement penalties.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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