H-13 Correspondence – Gary Hytrek
From: Gary Hytrek [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, March 7, 2022 9:04 AM
To: Mayor <[email protected]>; Diana Tang <[email protected]>; Council District 1 <[email protected]>; Council District 2 <[email protected]>; Rahul Sen <[email protected]>; Council District 3 <[email protected]>; Jack Cunningham <[email protected]>; Council District 4 <[email protected]>; Council District 5 <[email protected]>; Council District 6 <[email protected]>; Chork Nim <[email protected]>; Council District 7 <[email protected]>; Celina Luna <[email protected]>; Council District 8 <[email protected]>; Lynette Johnson <[email protected]>; Council District 9 <[email protected]>; Matthew Hamlett <[email protected]>; Parker Houston <[email protected]> Cc: CityClerk <[email protected]>
Subject: Long Beach Ordinance No. ORD-20-0024 on Short-Term Rentals
-EXTERNAL-
Dear Mayor Garcia, Honorable Councilmembers and Staff,
Please find attached my letter, in my capacity as Co-President of our CFA@LB Chapter, requesting the Council reject Coastal Commission modifications to Long Beach Ordinance No. ORD-20-0024 on Short-Term Rentals.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Gary Hytrek, PhD
Professor of Geography
Co-President, CFA@LB
Chair, CFA@LB Political Action Committee
1250 Bellflower Boulevard FO4
California Faculty Association@Long Beach
Room 180, MS 3505 Long Beach, CA
90840 Phone: (562) 985-5165 Fax:
(562) 985-1717
March 7, 2022
Honorable Mayor and City Council,
As Co-President of CFA@LB, representing over 2,900 faculty, coaches, counselors, and librarians at CSULB, I urge the Long Beach City Council to reject the Coastal Commission’s modification to Ordinance No. ORD-20-0024 regulating short-term rentals. The California Coastal Commission proposed changes to Long Beach’s short-term rental (STR) Ordinance that would allow the conversion of more homes and apartments into party houses and unregulated hotels. The Commission’s changes undermine the City’s ordinance that was designed to protect housing by imposing a cap on the total number of STRs allowed.
California is facing a housing crisis as rents skyrocket and the lack of affordable units drive residents out of cities and the state. Long Beach has been particularly hard hit now that it is one of the 5 most unaffordable cities for homeowners in the United States beating out San Francisco for the number 5 spot. The lack of housing drives up the prices and rents, and short-term rentals worsen the housing crisis. Faculty, staff, and students are increasingly priced out of the city.
In addition, short-term rentals have not proved that they increase coastal access nor that they are necessarily lower-cost accommodation in the Coastal Zone. Short-term rentals just create more luxury options for the richest travelers. In fact, STRs are often marketed as luxury hotel rooms and have room rates comparable to high-end hotels, especially when fees are included.
Long Beach is increasingly becoming unaffordable for residents and for visitors who want to enjoy the coastline. We urge the City Council to protect housing and preserve visitor accommodations by rejecting the Coastal Commission’s modification to the cap on STRS and by adopting an additional provision to limit STRs to the primary residence of hosts, as has been done in the City of Los Angeles.
Thank you,
Gary Hytrek, PhD
Professor of Geography
Co-President, CFA@LB
Chair, CFA@LB Political Action and Legislative Committee