IMPACT STATEMENT: Unhosted Short-term Rental(s)
Dear Mayor Vaterlaus and City Council Members:
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Name: _________________________________ Date: _________________________ Signature: ______________________________ Neighborhood: _______________ Contact Information (email/phone <optional>): _ _________ To send to the City of Pacifica, use one of the following options:
1) Scan your statement and email it to [email protected]. This will go to the City Council and members of City Staff.
2) Complete your statement during this session and leave it with one of the hosts. We will PDF it with others and send them to the City within the week.
From: Jeff Jones
To: Public Comment
Subject: STR @ 400 Belfast Ave
Date: Wednesday, July 17, 2024 11:44:08 AM
Attachments: Impact Statement__FINAL.pdf
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From: Lyla Reinero
To: _City Council; Public Comment
Cc: Bryan Reinero; Caitlin Quinn; Jen Hansen; Cindy Abbott; Peter C Garenani; Jeff Jones; Woodhouse, Kevin Subject: STR (AKA Airbnb or VRBO) Safety Concerns
Date: Wednesday, July 17, 2024 5:34:48 PM
Attachments: 07152024 Media Bulletin.pdf
[CAUTION: External Email]
Dear Mayor, City Council Members, City Manager and all others whom it may concern,
Safety for the community and “guests” of STRs alike are a huge concern for our community. A concerned neighbor from Park Pacifica shared this article from CNN that shows How Airbnb fails to protect guests from hidden cameras. This article was also recently published as part of LBSNC’s (Long Beach Safe Neighborhood Coalition) weekly email, to which I strongly encourage all of you to read in its entirety and subscribe to here.
On the safety note, there have been multiple instances where guests have pulled into our driveway in Pedro Point and approached our property trying to “check in” to our house when they have booked the listing up the hill/across the street from us at 400 Belfast, operated by Marbella Lane Corporation. The GPS says “arrived at your destination” once their vehicles have come up the hill far enough and are at our house. As of yet this has been mostly an annoyance, yet recently these people have appeared to be acting increasingly entitled. We fear for our safety for the eventual time someone who may be inebriated tries to enter our property late at night. We have enjoyed living in a safe neighborhood where we don’t have to be concerned about locking our doors, but that is a thing of the past. When I recently described this situation to a neighbor, my young daughter was listening, and it made her afraid.
This past Monday 7/15, there were multiple cars from the Airbnb that were parked along Belfast, ignoring the posted sign that says “NO PARKING WITHIN 6' (SIX FEET) OF CENTER OF PAVED ROADWAY”, which is basically nowhere on Belfast, because there is nowhere to pass. If there had been an emergency, there’s no way that emergency vehicles would have been able to get through.
And let’s not forget about the recent arrest (June 9) of 2 convicted felons at a house party gone out of control in Montara at an un-hosted STR. These types of situations are not as uncommon as one would hope and the one across from us frequently has more guests than the stated maximum on their listing. It’s very worrisome and feels like an eventuality that something terrible will happen at any one of the party houses in Pacifica.
I can’t stress enough how much it truly sucks living across the street from this nuisance. It consumes my thoughts night and day and is so stressful to constantly fear for my safety and that of my family.
I implore you all to work together to direct the City Manager to BOTH issue a moratorium on STRs (stop issuing permits for new STRs) and move forward to adopt a new robust Ordinance ASAP. Countless hours have already been provided by the Pacifica Homes are Not Hotels team in writing the draft ordinance which has been put forth to the city. There is no reason why we need to wait until the LCP is updated. The STR ordinance must become a top priority.
Thanks and take care,
(Grand Avenue)
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From: Cherie Chan
To: Vaterlaus, Sue; Bryan Reinero; Public Comment
Subject: Re: Public Comment: Council Meeting July 08, 2024 Agenda Item 11 Date: Monday, July 8, 2024 9:12:51 PM
[CAUTION: External Email]
Mayor Vaterlaus:
Per your request for a list of Short Term Rentals (STRs) which you state to be "not available", I am re-sending the email with the list of STRs which were sent to you on Thu, Mar 7, 2024 at 10:29 PM.
It should be noted that this list of 241 rentals is not a complete list: this a list of rentals on the AirBnB platform only, and does not include other platforms such as VRBO, Keyflip, Hotels.com, bookings.com, etc, or websites maintained by the llc rental companies themselves, such as Marbella Lane. We also know of several buildings which operate multiple discrete rental units out of one building and one permit, and recognize that a deeper dive is likely to yield over 300 discrete rental contracts.
Thanks again.
Cherie Chan
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Bryan Reinero
Date: Thu, Mar 7, 2024 at 10:29 PM
Subject: Re: MARCH 9, 2024 COUNCIL GOAL-SETTING SESSION T
C
P
Hi Sue,
I've downloaded the data and separated the Pacifica STRs in this Google spreadsheet. Let me know if you have any trouble accessing it.
best,
Bryan
On Mon, Jul 8, 2024 at 12:50 PM Vaterlaus, Sue <[email protected]> wrote:
We will get there, just not now. Show me a list of 300 short term rentals. It is not available because I believe it to be inaccurate
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
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From: Cherie Chan
Sent: Monday, July 8, 2024 11:03:27 AM
To: Public Comment <[email protected]>; _City Council <[email protected]>; _City Council <[email protected]>; Woodhouse, Kevin <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comment: Council Meeting July 08, 2024 Agenda Item 11 [CAUTION: External Email]
Dear Council,
Thank you for your hard work in aligning the City's TOT tax rate with the county's prevailing average, bringing in much-needed revenue to fund Pacifica's essential services. Raising the tax rate from 12% to 15% is a small step in the right direction.
The proposed resolution makes two assumptions below:
WHEREAS, this measure will reduce the impact on local taxpayers so local residents do not shoulder the cost and visitors and tourists also contribute to the services they utilize; and
WHEREAS, the proposed measure will include accountability requirements such as annual financial audits and public spending reports; and (1) While adopting the proposed resolution could bring in an additional $720,000 per year in revenue, this amount is miniscule relative to the number of unregistered STRs in our City, which collect $0 TOT Taxes.
The staff report fails to note that due to lax regulations: "At present, the City of Pacifica has approximately 140 STRs registered. However, a search on online STR platforms show that the true number of STRs in Pacifica is somewhere closer to 300 —and may be even larger than that. And almost all of these are unhosted, wholehouse STRs."(2) The City, is missing an opportunity to truly help its residents - and its coastal-oriented visitors of this beautiful town by failing to collect ANY taxes for most providers, and exacerbating a moral hazard by incentivizing Pacifica property owners to avoid paying their fare share, and funding the improvement and we all need to help Pacifica, residents and visitors alike.
I encourage you to pass this small tax, but to go further by requiring all STR hosts to obtain a license or registration number. This functionality is already available on the STR businesses platforms(3), and a simple way to fund the much-needed services our beautiful town needs.
Thank you again for your time and service to our community.
Citations:
(1) Draft Resolution, Packet Page 5. Council Agendar Summary Report at page 5. (2) https://www.pacificahomesarenothotels.org/
(3) https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1634: "Some cities require Hosts to obtain a license or registration number to list their places on
Airbnb. The corresponding field on their listing allows them to show that number for compliance."
With Appreciation
Cherie Chan
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Cherie Chan
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From: HD
To: Public Comment; _City Council
Subject: Fwd: NO to AirBNB and Short Term Rentals
Date: Monday, July 15, 2024 11:00:43 PM
[CAUTION: External Email]
Hello,
As you can see below, I never got a reply regarding the legality of the Airbnbs near my house.
The situation around my house is getting out of hand this summer. I see a constant flow of cars driving the wrong way on the street, a constant in and out of many people and cars making me feel less safe to let my kids play outside alone.
I welcome tourists in our community, but I wish they would stay in our hotels respecting the residential neighborhood zoning.
Airbnbs are not only a risk for the residents of the community, but also to the guests due to hidden camera problems. See this investigation from CNN. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqQJ2FxB988
Let's do what is right and stop STR rentals like many wealthy neighborhoods have done.
Communities with wealthy individuals used their power and influence to prohibit STR like Atherton and Woodside. For Pacifica, we should do it because we want a better community for our kids and members!
Thank you.
Haroldo
---------- Forwarded message ---------
Date: Thu, Aug 17, 2023 at 9:20 PM
Subject: Re: NO to AirBNB and Short Term Rentals
To: Vaterlaus, Sue <[email protected]>
Hi Sue,
Did you have to check on these properties? Are they legal? How can I check if short term rentals in Pacifica are legal?
Please advise.
Thank you.
On Tue, Aug 15, 2023 at 12:46 PM HD wrote:
>
> I live on Pacific Ave. As an example, check out these properties. >
> 1 - 350 Buckingham Rd (2 units), corner with Pacific Ave. > 2 - 174 Pacific Ave
> 3 - 149 Hilton Way
>
> There are also neighbors that rent their in-law units. I am not trying > to get anyone in trouble and I understand your example of someone that > saved their house with short term rentals. However, as you know, > behind the majority of short term rentals are investment companies and > wealthy investors with property management.
>
> There is several unbiased academic research that proves my point of > view. Here is a video of a recent discussion on CNBC. >
> https://www.cnbc.com/video/2023/08/15/the-airbnb-effect-why-second-homes-havebecome-so-divisive.html >
> I think it is time for everyone to do what is right instead of looking > at their own interests for the benefit of future generations and > families wanting to buy a house for themselves. With that said, a city > could easily allow short term rentals for homeowners in financial > distress with an application form and proof of financial instability > and remove all investors from the market.
>
> Thank you.
>
>
> On Tue, Aug 15, 2023 at 11:39 AM Vaterlaus, Sue <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > We have hired a company that checks to see if advertised short term rentals are licensed.
Maybe I can check it out. What street do you live on?
> >
> >
> >
> > Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
> >
> >
> >
> > -------- Original message --------
> > From: Haroldo Daltin
> > Date: 8/15/23 11:34 AM (GMT-08:00)
> > To: "Vaterlaus, Sue" <[email protected]>
> > Subject: Re: NO to AirBNB and Short Term Rentals
> >
> > [CAUTION: External Email]
> >
> >
> >
> > Thank you Sue for your reply. How are you enforcing the licenses and how can I check if the houses on my street are licensed? 160 licenses are way more than available houses for sale plus all unlicensed that are out there.
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> > On Aug 15, 2023, at 7:45 AM, Vaterlaus, Sue <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >
> > This is a very difficult item. We do have rules about short term rentals but they need to be fortified. There are a max of 160 licenses for short term rentals and due to lots of regulations, we are not allowed to ban them. The coastal commission will not allow a ban at all. Plus if you own your home there is the question of personal property rights. I know a man who saved his home by doing short term rental.
> >
> >
> >
> > Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
> >
> >
> >
> > -------- Original message --------
> > From: HD < >
> > Date: 8/15/23 12:35 AM (GMT-08:00)
> > To: _City Council <[email protected]>
> > Subject: NO to AirBNB and Short Term Rentals
> >
> > [CAUTION: External Email]
> >
> >
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > I live in Pacifica with my wife and 2 young children. On my street alone we have 3 houses that are full short term rentals. It is very sad to see what this is doing to our community as rents keep going up and housing prices become even more expensive, killing the prospect for us to buy a house in this community that we love and are very much involved in. > > There is a lot of research data available showing the damages caused by short term rentals.
I welcome tourists in our community, but I think they should stay in our hotels and not in our residential areas. If you were to list all houses available for sort term rentals in Pacifica for sale or rent, supply would more than double! This is not a shortage, but an allocation problem where the supply is not going to long term residents.
> >
> > It is time enforce commercial real estate zoning for short term rentals. > >
> > I hope the city council can do something about this issue. I am tired of seeing people driving the wrong way on my street and stress that I will not be able to afford a house here and keep my kids in their school and near the friends they love it. > >
> > What are your thoughts on this matter? Are there any plans to ban short term rentals in residential areas?
> >
> > Thank you,
> > HD
> >
> > CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of Pacifica. Unless you recognize the sender's email address and know the content is safe, do not click links, open attachments or reply.
> >
> > CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of Pacifica. Unless you recognize the sender's email address and know the content is safe, do not click links, open attachments or reply.
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From: Cervantes, Stefanie
To: Harkousha, Brianne
Subject: FW: Public Comment on Item Not on Agenda-- 8/12/24 City Council Meeting Date: Monday, August 12, 2024 9:37:51 AM
FYI
From: Woodhouse, Kevin <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, August 12, 2024 9:12 AM
To: Carter, Yulia <[email protected]>; Cervantes, Stefanie <[email protected]>; Kumar, Kavitha <[email protected]>
Subject: FW: Public Comment on Item Not on Agenda-- 8/12/24 City Council Meeting FYI re: STRs.
From: Bigstyck, Tygarjas <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, August 10, 2024 5:37 AM
To: Caitlin Quinn
Subject: Re: Public Comment on Item Not on Agenda-- 8/12/24 City Council Meeting Thanks Caitlin. I also appreciate your comments to Coastal Commission the other day.
Regards,
-Tygar
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From: Caitlin Quinn
Sent: Friday, August 9, 2024 4:49:01 PM
To: Vaterlaus, Sue <[email protected]>; Beckmeyer, Sue <[email protected]>; Bigstyck, Tygarjas <[email protected]>; Bier, Mary <[email protected]>; Boles, Christine <[email protected]>
Cc: Public Comment <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comment on Item Not on Agenda-- 8/12/24 City Council Meeting [CAUTION: External Email]
Dear Mayor Vaterlaus and City Council Members,
I hope you all had a relaxing and refreshing break from City business.
I am writing to enquire on the status of Pacifica’s new STR ordinance, discussed at length at the STR Study Session held on June 24, 2024. At that Study Session, the City Manager said that he and his staff would be back to City Council with work and research on the new STR ordinance by late-August/early-September. It is my hope—and that of the more than 100 Pacifica residents with whom I am in regular contact—that the City Manager and his staff will honor that commitment. When will we have an update on this, please? As an aid to your work and that of the City’s staff, please find attached again the revised STR ordinance for our City that was drafted by Pacifica Homes Are Not Hotels. This draft ordinance reflects many of the reasonable and effective restrictions placed on unhosted STRs by cities throughout San Mateo County, including Half Moon Bay, as follows:
·Limiting STR permits to property owners who are “natural persons” and for whom the residence is their primary residence.
·Allowing only one STR to be in effect within the City of Pacifica for any owner and/or operator.
·Setting an operating limit on unhosted STRs to 60 rental nights per year. ·Setting a limit of only two (2) guests per STR bedroom and a limit of one (1) car permitted per bedroom at any STR property
·Revoking the permit for any STR property at which two or more noise or other ordinance violations have occurred within any 12-month period. ·Creating new enforcement teams that include dedicated Code Enforcement and PPD officers.
·Requiring all unhosted STR permit holders to designate a local representative who is on call 24/7 while the property is rented and who can arrive at the property within 20 minutes to abate any problems, up to and including eviction of renters. ·Requiring a 30-day notice be sent to neighbors within a 500-foot radius of any property for which the owner has applied for an STR permit. ·Stipulating that operation of the STR must not be a nuisance or threat to the public’s health, safety, or welfare; must not directly and negatively impact any neighbor’s quiet enjoyment of their home who live within 500 feet of the property; and that no interior or exterior activity at the STR will interfere with or be detrimental to the residential use of adjacent properties. ·Mandating that all advertising (written publication or online website) of the STR property includes the City-issued STR registration number. ·Requiring a minimum of 250 lineal feet between any two or more unhosted STRs in any given Pacifica neighborhood.
Furthermore, as many residents remarked at the June 24th session, it is essential that no existing STR be granted “grandfathering” in the form of exemptions from any parts of the new ordinance. To do so would
only serve to reward the many “bad actor” unhosted STR owners/operators whose commercial operations have caused countless disturbances in our residential neighborhoods and who have robbed our City of full-time
residents and quality of life.
A new, meaningful, and effective STR ordinance—limiting the highly disruptive activities of unhosted STRs and removing Pacifica from the “easy pickins'” list for corporate investors—is long overdue.
And it is vital that
this work be done before the October STR permit re-application period swings around, so current STR operators can make informed decisions about their business operations in Pacifica.
Thank you,
Caitlin Quinn
West Sharp Park
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From: Darcy Duckenfield
To: Public Comment
Subject: We Need STR Regulation Now
Date: Thursday, August 15, 2024 7:20:57 PM
[CAUTION: External Email]
Pacifica City Council,
Dear Councilmembers,
I’m writing to you today because I am concerned by the increase in short-term rentals in Pacifica and support strong short-term rental regulations in our city.
Short-term rentals, particularly unhosted short-term rentals, are increasingly becoming a problem in our community. Between 2017 and 2023, the number of STR listings in Pacifica increased by over 100 listings. That represents homes no longer available for people to live in, and I’m worried that without strong regulation, I or my neighbors might be displaced or otherwise negatively affected by this explosion of STRs.
Though the City has an existing draft ordinance which caps short-term rentals at 150 units, this does not go far enough to prevent the negative effects of short-term rentals from impacting my community. We need a strong ordinance, like other Coastal cities; one that has clear definitions of unhosted and hosted short-term rentals, a primary residency requirement for hosts, a limit of one short-term rental per person, and a cap on the number of nights an unhosted short-term rental may be operated per year.
Regulating STRs, especially unhosted STRs, will make sure that our communities are not displaced, and that neighbors are able to stay in their home. Please strengthen your proposed regulations on short-term rentals.
Darcy Duckenfield
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From: Claire Delinois
To: Public Comment
Subject: We Need STR Regulation Now
Date: Thursday, August 15, 2024 7:22:40 PM
[CAUTION: External Email]
Pacifica City Council,
Dear Councilmembers,
I’m writing to you today because I am concerned by the increase in short-term rentals in Pacifica, and thus support strong regulations on short-term rentals in our city.
Short-term rentals, particularly unhosted short-term rentals, are increasingly becoming a problem in our community. Between 2017 and 2023, the number of STR listings in Pacifica increased by over 100 listings. Short-term rentals, especially unhosted short-term rentals, create a significant burden on communities—they tend to create noise issues, take up parking, and generate trash. Unhosted STRs are especially problematic in this regard, since they operate without an owner or property manager to supervise guests and their behavior and impact on communities and neighbors.
Though the City has an existing draft ordinance which caps short-term rentals at 150 units, this does not go far enough to prevent the negative effects of short-term rentals from impacting my community. We need a strong ordinance, like other cities on the coast; one that has clear definitions of unhosted and hosted short-term rentals, a primary residency requirement for hosts, a limit of one short-term rental per person, and a cap on the number of nights an unhosted short-term rental may be operated per year.
Regulating STRs, especially unhosted STRs, will make sure that our communities are not negatively burdened by the nuisances that STRs cause. Please strengthen our regulations, and make sure that communities like mine are protected.
Claire Delinois
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From: Jim DeJong
To: Public Comment
Subject: We Need STR Regulation Now
Date: Tuesday, August 20, 2024 9:09:59 AM
[CAUTION: External Email]
Pacifica City Council,
Dear Councilmembers,
I’m writing to you today because I am concerned by the increase in short-term rentals in Pacifica, and thus support strong regulations on short-term rentals in our city.
Short-term rentals, particularly unhosted short-term rentals, are increasingly becoming a problem in our community. Between 2017 and 2023, the number of STR listings in Pacifica increased by over 100 listings. Short-term rentals, especially unhosted short-term rentals, create a significant burden on communities—they tend to create noise issues, take up parking, and generate trash. Unhosted STRs are especially problematic in this regard, since they operate without an owner or property manager to supervise guests and their behavior and impact on communities and neighbors.
Though the City has an existing draft ordinance which caps short-term rentals at 150 units, this does not go far enough to prevent the negative effects of short-term rentals from impacting my community. We need a strong ordinance, like other cities on the coast; one that has clear definitions of unhosted and hosted short-term rentals, a primary residency requirement for hosts, a limit of one short-term rental per person, and a cap on the number of nights an unhosted short-term rental may be operated per year.
Regulating STRs, especially unhosted STRs, will make sure that our communities are not negatively burdened by the nuisances that STRs cause. Please strengthen our regulations, and make sure that communities like mine are protected. Sincerely, Jim DeJong 230-240 Airbnbs are operating in Pacifica
The numbers of STRs has increased 254% since 2017
84% are unhosted, “whole-house” listings
At least 46 “hosts” are out-of-town operators
At least 98 homes are run by out-of-town operators, but could be as high as 120 Only ~100 Airbnbs (of any kind) are registered with the City of Pacifica.
Jim DeJong
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