August 26, 2024
Pacifica City Council
Council Chambers, 2212 Beach Boulevard, Pacifica
RE: Short-term rental regulations in Pacifica, CA
To the Members of the Pacifica City Council and staff:
Thank you for your careful and deliberate consideration of short-term rentals. Over the last 12 months, our team has been in communication with City staff, working together to increase permit compliance and minimize nuisance complaints in Pacifica. While the vast majority of Hosts and Guests on Airbnb are responsible neighbors and travelers, and issues are rare, we firmly believe that we can collaborate with staff to achieve solutions that are both fair and reasonable.
In Pacifica, home sharing is an important economic tool for residents who share their home to earn extra money. Home sharing also offers numerous benefits to a community, from additional tax revenue for city services, to spreading the benefits of tourism to neighborhoods not served by hotels, to helping local families earn supplemental income.
More on our community of local Hosts:
● ~80% of Pacifica Hosts list a single property on the Airbnb platform1 ● ~60% of Pacifica Hosts identify as women2
● A typical Host on Airbnb in Pacifica has guests for a little over three months a year3
● ~54% of hosts in California say that the money they earned from hosting helped them stay in their homes4
● ~77% in California say that money they earned Hosting has helped them deal with the rising cost of living5
Short-Term Rentals and Housing:
According to public census data, dedicated listings - entire homes short-term rented for more than 90 nights per year - make up less than 1% of Pacifica’s total housing stock. 5 Self reported through survey to Airbnb Hosts
4 Self reported through survey to Airbnb Hosts
3 Number based on 2023 Airbnb platform data
2 Number based on 2023 Airbnb platform data
1 Number based on 2023 Airbnb platform data
What’s more, census data indicates that vacant second homes take up three times more housing in Pacifica than STRs.
Many communities around the state have studied the impact of short-term rentals on the cost of housing in their communities. In fact, a 2023 Visit SLO CAL study on short-term rentals (STRs) in San Luis Obispo County found STRs are not responsible for driving up overall rental rates and housing prices in the county.
Similarly, San Bernardino County recently conducted an analysis that “could not find clear and empirical data that indicates that short-term rentals have a substantial impact on the availability of long-term, rental housing options.” Earlier this year, Tuolumne County reported that “while short-term rental activity in Tuolumne County has increased over the past decade, the share of vacant homes has remained relatively stable. There is little evidence that a significant number of occupied homes have been converted to short-term rentals and reduced the available housing for moderate-income households. The current housing shortage may be more accurately attributed to decades of increasing regulatory constraints and costs that have constrained new residential development.”
We believe that the discussion about short-term rentals should be focused on resolving nuisance issues in Pacifica. One solution that we recommend is a new fine structure to push bad actors into compliance. Our local Host community takes pride in being responsible residents who care about their community and are supportive of efforts to hold bad actors and repeat offenders accountable.
We look forward to continuing to work and partner with you to ensure Pacifica residents can continue to benefit from home sharing.
Sincerely,
Danny Baldocchi
Airbnb Public Policy, US West