HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-12-2013 ac smith2 ss1RECEÏVËD
NO\/ 12 2013
Cl-ERstCI
Goodwi Heather
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Heather,
Agenda Correspondece
thanks - Kathy
Smith, Kathy
Monday, November IL,2013 9:07 AM
Goodwin, Heather
FW: 55L - Vacation Rentals - November 12,2013 Council Meeting
AGENDA
CIORRESPONDENCË
From: Carolyn Ike6hng@att.net]
Sent: Saturday, November 09, 2013 B:02 PM
To: Marx, Jan; Smith, Kathy; Carpenter, Dan; Ashbaugh, John; Christianson, Carlyn
Subject: SS1 - Vacation Rentals - November t2, 2013 Council Meeting
Dear Mayor Marx and Council Members:
Neighborhood Wellness ¡s our #2 Major City Goal for the current budget period. Allowing shoft-
term vacation rentals in our neighborhoods, through Airbnb and other such sites, will be contrary
to this goal.
Many of our neighborhoods are already negatively impacted by a large number of rentals
housing a transient student population. Neighborhoods that were once mostly occupied by
families, who built long-term relationships with their neighbors, are now occupied by students
who change from year to year. For many residents, this has degraded the sense of community,
security and safety that came with knowing who lived next door and across the street. If short-
term vacation rentals are allowed in these already fragile neighborhoods, it will undoubtedly
cause more permanent residents to leave SLO and move to a City that values its neighborhoods.
It has been suggested that any short-term rental ordinance require that homeowners be present
during the entire rental period in order to minimize the problems short-term renters could
create. While I'm certain many of those who are operating a short-term rental, and have written
to Council on this issue, feel that they will not create a problem for their neighbors, it does not
necessarily guarantee that all homeowners will operate their rental in a responsible manner. It
will be extremely difficult to monitor and enforce owner presence and other rules. Our staff
(code enforcement and police) is already stretched very thin with the violations that currently
occur from our high rental population such as noise, blight, parking, high occupancy violations,
illegal conversions, etc. If this ordinance is created but there is insufficient staff to enforce it,
residents will be left with no relief--just having to accept the problems. This will only cause more
residents to become frustrated and move,
It may also be difficult (if not illegal) to restrict the application of an income-producing ordinance
only to homeowners in R-1 neighborhoods. Renters may feel they should be afforded the same
income opportunity, as long as their landlord allows it-such as our current Home Occupancy
Permit ordinance in which both homeowners and renters are allowed to pafticipate. Accordingly,
you could have students renting out their rooms for short-term rental income on weekends,
during their breaks and in the summer. In fact, this is already being done in some cities with
universities:
(
students-on- u -s-ca mpuses/. )
Students who are Flat Club hosts claim that they make enough money renting out their rooms
on weekends and during their breaks to pay their rent for the rest of the school year. In this
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type of short-term rental, there would be no homeowner oversight and the potential problems
this could create for neighborhoods are limitless. Staff has reported that enforcement of any
vacation rental ordinance will be complaint driven only, and that with the current code
enforcement staff, enforcement could be limited.
Some residents claim that they can't afford to remain in their homes without the oppoftunity to
make money from short term renting through Airbnb or the like. There are other legal options
available for them to supplement their income from their home. For example, they can rent out
a room or two on a long-term basis. One of my neighbors rented out a couple of rooms in her
home to supplement her income with renters who stayed for several years. The neighbors got to
know her renters and they integrated into the neighborhood very well. Frequent transiency in a
residential neighborhood does not foster healthy neighborhoods and without healthy
neighborhoods, we will not attract families to live here and will lose even more neighborhood
stability.
Therefore, I urge you to continue the ban on vacation rentals in our City neighborhoods.
Thank you for your attention.
Carolyn Smith
San Luis Obispo
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