From: Kristi McKnight
To: [email protected]
Subject: Visit HB TBID modifying assessment No. 2024-13 Date: Thursday, May 2, 2024 11:36:05 AM
Dear Mayor and City Council,
I’m writing in support of adopting Resolution No. 2024-13, to declare the City’s intention to modify the Management District Plan for the Huntington Beach Tourism BID.
As the Event Director for Surf City Still works restaurant and venue, tourism is an essential part of our business. It provides us with opportunities for growth, resilience and prosperity.
When tourism does well, we do well too.
Tourism doesn't just benefit lodging businesses directly catering to tourists; it also supports a range of ancillary services such as transportation and restaurants. Thanks to Huntington Beach’s strong tourism economy, with an estimated $2.2 million visitors in 2023, we as a restaurant venue were able to keep our doors open, keep our employees employed, and thrive.
Over the next few years, Huntington Beach may lose visitors to other OC and coastal California cities, who are all vying to attract visitors and will have new hotel properties, new attractions or upgrades. If Huntington Beach loses visitor industry market share, the reduced visitors will lead to a decrease in our revenue as well as the City’s TOT, sales tax and parking revenue from visitors.
I am delighted to learn about the proposed modification and believe our business will benefit from it. With more visitors coming to Huntington Beach, our business will benefit from more foot traffic, more exposure and more potential customers that will help keep us open and our community / network growing all year-round. As part of the proposal, funds will also be spent on several improvements in Downtown Huntington Beach, leading to a better business environment for all of us.
I strongly believe this modification will benefit not only the tourism BID but also local businesses like mine.
We hope that the City Council will support the resolution of intent.
Thank you and Sincerely,
Kristi McKnight
--
Best regards,
Kristi McKnight
Events
and Community Director
Surf City Still Works
16561Gemini Lane
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
O: 714-369-2348
C: 714-681-1629
5/7/2024
28 (24-313)
Click here to learn More about Surf City Still works
From: Darryl Santa
To: [email protected]
Subject: Tourism BID assessment modification.
Date: Thursday, May 2, 2024 5:19:20 PM
Dear Mayor and City Council,
I'm writing in support of adopting Resolution No. 2024-13, which declares the City’s intention to modify the Management District Plan for the Huntington Beach Tourism BID.
As President, CEO & Founder of Alpha & Omega Computer & Network Service, Inc., and a resident of Huntington Beach at 6571 Redgrove Cir, Huntington Beach, CA 92647, tourism is an essential part of our community. It provides us with opportunities for growth, resilience, and prosperity.
When tourism thrives, we thrive too.
Tourism doesn't only benefit lodging businesses directly catering to tourists; it also supports a range of ancillary services such as transportation and other HB businesses. Thanks to Huntington Beach’s robust tourism economy, with an estimated $2.2 million visitors in 2023, many small businesses were able to keep their doors open, retain employees, and thrive. Thriving businesses create new opportunities for my business to support their technology needs.
Over the next few years, Huntington Beach may lose visitors to other OC and coastal California cities, all competing to attract visitors with new hotel properties, attractions, or upgrades. If Huntington Beach loses visitor industry market share, the reduced visitors will lead to a decrease in our revenue as well as the City’s TOT, sales tax, and parking revenue from visitors.
I am delighted to learn about the proposed modification and believe our business will benefit from it. With more visitors coming to Huntington Beach, our business will benefit from the increased local economy, networking opportunities, business relocations/start-ups, demand for IT services, and word-of-mouth marketing for the whole business community! As part of the proposal, funds will also be spent on several improvements in Downtown Huntington Beach, leading to a better business environment for all of us.
I strongly believe this modification will benefit not only the tourism BID but also local businesses like mine.
We hope that the City Council will support the resolution of intent.
Thank you,
Darryl Santa
President, CEO & Founder
Alpha & Omega Computer & Network Services, Inc.
Providing Excellence in IT Services Since 1999
5772 Bolsa Ave, Suite 100
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
714-964-6932
From: Kathryn Levassiur
To: [email protected]
Subject: Agenda Item #28 TBID Increase
Date: Friday, May 3, 2024 12:29:19 PM
Attachments: Logo for Apple Email.png
Dear Mayor Van Der Mark and HB City Council Members,
My name is Kathryn Levassiur. I am an HB resident and founder of Huntington Beach STR Alliance, founded in 2017 now with 200+ members and the volunteer Airbnb Community Leader for Orange County and Inland Empire Airbnb hosts with 600+ members. I write this letter on behalf of all of our combined group members in opposition to agenda item #28 to increase the TBID tax rate from 4% to 6%. We do support more revenue for Visit Huntington Beach and the city. To increase TBID revenue, we support expanding the existing unhosted short term vacation rental permit program to include whole home vacation rentals in Huntington Beach. By allowing whole home vacation rental property owners in HB to apply and qualify for STR permits, will result in increased supply of short term rental accommodations for visitors coming to Huntington Beach. Whole home rentals will generate many more times TBID and TOT revenue than just the current private room rentals and the small amount of whole home rentals in Sunset Beach generate. Let's keep our current TBID rate competitive with neighboring cities, while supporting our local businesses and keeping our city vibrant.
We all want Huntington Beach to flourish and we recognize HB is a global destination for tourism and businesses. Our TOT/TBID of 10/4% taxes are paid by visitors who stay here 30 nights or less so it might be easy to write off the increase as not a burden for local residents to pay. We do need to be mindful that visitors and their coveted tourism dollars can stay in cities like, Long Beach for 13% taxes, Newport Beach for 10% taxes, Fountain Valley for 9% taxes, or Costa Mesa for 8% tax rate, just to name a few.
Don’t raise the tax rate, but rather increase the supply of visitor accommodations to increase tax revenue and support local businesses.
Sincerely,
Kathryn Levassiur
Huntington Beach Short-Term Rental Alliance
Cell: 714.343.7931
Email: [email protected]
|Website: https://www.hbstra.org/