From: Deni Mac
To: [email protected]
Subject: Resolution No. 2024-13
Date: Saturday, May 4, 2024 4:05:22 PM
May 4, 2024
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 a
Board Member and Treasurer for the International Surfing Museum of Huntington Beach located at 411 Olive Avenue, 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 our museum as an educational destination.
Our
International Surfing Museum provides a historical journey of surfing and shares how it is now a sport in the Olympics. The museum is also considered a cultural hub for surf art.
Additionally, we provide educational events and field trips for students and adults. Thanks to Huntington Beach’s strong tourism economy, with an estimated $2.2 million visitors in 2023,
we
as a museum
were able to keep our doors open, keep our employees employed, provide a Surf N Science hand- on evening event for adults and children, as well as, host educational tours during the year.
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 and more visitors that will help keep us open 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 our International Surfing Museum.
We hope that the City Council will support the resolution of intent.
Thank you.
Denise MacAllister, EdD
224 Crest Avenue
Huntington Beach, California 92648
714-336-7789
5/7/2024
28 (24-313)
From: Nathan Fluellen
To: [email protected]
Subject: resolution number is 23-1042
Date: Monday, May 6, 2024 12:40:08 PM
Good evening, Mayor and councilmembers,
I’m Nathan Fluellen, founder of A Great Day in the Stoke.
I’m here to speak in support of the resolution of intent to modify the Tourism BID because
by bringing visitors to
HB, our industry also brings an additional income source for local businesses, helping to keep their doors open and their workers employed not just during the busy peak visitor seasons, but year-round. A Great Day in the Stoke contracts many business in HB that are vital to our having had successful events for the past three years.
The tourism industry is an essential part of Huntington Beach, an estimated 2.2 million non-OC residents visited in 2023. AGDITS is one of those contributing factors as 90% of our guests live outside of OC. We are part of HB’s local economy, and add to the contribution of millions of dollars in taxes.
I believe
TBID funds must be used responsibly to promote and enhance the destination experience. Those funds are reinvested back into sales and marketing efforts for the destination, designed to increase visitation to HB, overnight stays at HB paid lodging properties and encourage more visitor spend in HB. That means more foot traffic for local businesses to help keep them open year-round, especially during the slow season. These all generate taxes for the city’s general fund.
As founder of A Great Day in the Stoke, I believe this modification will benefit not only us, the tourism BID and local businesses, but will also provide much needed funds to the city and make HB a better place.
We hope that the City Council will support the resolution of intent.
Thank you,
Nathan Fluellen
Founder
Cell - 615-566-2107
[email protected]
http://www.agreatdayinthestoke.com/
From: Deni Mac
To: [email protected]
Subject: Resolution No. 2024-13 letter of support
Date: Monday, May 6, 2024 4:38:53 PM
Attachments: Resolution No. 2024-13.docx
May 4, 2024
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 a Board Member and Treasurer for the International Surfing Museum of Huntington Beach located at 411 Olive Avenue, 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 our museum as an educational destination. Our International Surfing Museum provides a historical journey of surfing and shares how it is now a sport in the Olympics. The museum is also considered a cultural hub for surf art.
Additionally, we provide educational events and field trips for students and adults. Thanks to Huntington Beach’s strong tourism economy, with an estimated $2.2 million visitors in 2023, we as a museum were able to keep our doors open, keep our employees employed, provide a Surf N Science hand- on evening event for adults and children, as well as, host educational tours during the year.
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 and more visitors that will help keep us open 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 our International Surfing Museum.
We hope that the City Council will support the resolution of intent.
Thank you.
Denise MacAllister, EdD
224 Crest Avenue
Huntington Beach, California 92648
714-336-7789
May 4, 2024
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 a Board Member and Treasurer for the International Surfing Museum of Huntington Beach located at 411 Olive Avenue, 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 our museum as an educational destination. Our International Surfing Museum provides a historical journey of surfing and shares how it is now a sport in the Olympics. The museum is also considered a cultural hub for surf art. Additionally, we provide educational events and field trips for students and adults. Thanks to Huntington Beach’s strong tourism economy, with an estimated $2.2 million visitors in 2023, we as a museum were able to keep our doors open, keep our employees employed, provide a Surf N Science hand- on evening event for adults and children, as well as, host educational tours during the year.
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 and more visitors that will help keep us open 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 our International Surfing Museum.
We hope that the City Council will support the resolution of intent.
Thank you.
Denise MacAllister, EdD
224 Crest Avenue
Huntington Beach, California 92648
714-336-7789
From: Chris Epting
To: [email protected]
Subject: Item #28 on tonight"s agenda
Date: Tuesday, May 7, 2024 7:02:59 AM
Dear Mayor and Council Members,
I am reaching out to express my support for the resolution of intent to modify the Tourism Business Improvement District (BID). While I am not directly involved in the hotel/short-term rental industry, I play a part in the tourism sector. The success of tourism directly impacts my work as a local writer, and when tourism thrives, so does my business.
I am aware that Visit Huntington Beach has collaborated with city staff to identify various downtown projects aimed at enhancing the visitor experience. When I delve into writing about the history of Huntington Beach, the downtown narrative is an integral part of the story. Therefore, improvements that contribute to the evolution of downtown bolster the narrative I convey.
I am confident that this modification will not only benefit the Tourism BID but also the city as a whole, leading to increased sales tax revenue and other financial gains. It presents a mutually beneficial opportunity for all parties involved. I sincerely hope that the council will extend their support to this modification.
Regards,
Chris Epting
--
Author's site: www.chrisepting.com
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Tourism Business Improvement District tax from 4% to 6% Date: Tuesday, May 7, 2024 8:42:46 AM
Attachments: Anonymous Huntington Beach STR business.pdf Hello,
As legal operators are the minority to all STR operators in the city of Huntington Beach, I prefer to remain anonymous, but contribute important information for city council consideration. Thank you.
Best regards,
Michael Steckman
Anonymous HunƟngton Beach STR business
Tuesday, May 7th
Huntington Beach City Council
Council Chambers: 2000 Main St. Huntington Beach
[email protected]
Dear Sir or Madam:
It has been brought to our aƩenƟon that HunƟngton Beach is proposing an increase of TBID from 4% to 6%. This hurts small business at the expense of large businesses and illegal STR operators.
As of today, there are 195 issues STR permits from the city of HunƟngton Beach. Also, there are over 1300 acƟve STR rental publicaƟons in the city of HunƟngton Beach such as 1000+ Airbnb.com, 300+ VBRO, and 64 Booking.com.
The city is encouraging permit violators. This proposed increase of 2% hurts all legal operators.
Illegal operators enjoy not paying addiƟon 2%. The loss to the city from the illegal operators is equal to 22% of legal operator taxes as of today.
It is beƩer to increase the violaƟon fees for illegal operators so that the legal operators are not paying more when costs are high including property tax, and elevated expenses due to inflaƟon and other factors. These current violaƟon fees are insignificant in relaƟon to illegal profits at legal operators’ expense.
Sincerely,
Anonymous HunƟngton Beach STR business