From: Eric Fraser
To: CityCouncilListPublic; Rogers, Chris; MacDonald, Dianna; Alvarez, Eddie; Stapp, Mark; Okrepkie, Jeff; Rogers, Natalie; Fleming, Victoria; City Clerk
Subject: [EXTERNAL] 10/24 City Council, agenda Item 12.1 Nextrequest Date: Monday, October 23, 2023 6:05:06 PM
Attachments: Press Democrat 2023 Nextrequest Search.pdf 882021 Nextrequests RE STR Urgency Ordinance.pdf
102423 Agenda Item 12.1.pdf
Press Democrat 2023 Nextrequest Search.xlsx
080821 Nextrequests RE STR Urgency Ordinance.xlsx
Screen Shot 2023-10-22 at 9.19.55 AM.png
Screen Shot 2023-10-22 at 9.27.14 AM.png
Dear Mayor, City Council and other interested parties,
Please review the attached documents to inform agenda item 12.1, the Nextrequest contract extension.
There are several issues that we address in the attachments related to the Nextrequest platform.
Thanking you in advance for your attention and follow-through to these important issues.
Looking forward to being of service,
Eric Fraser
Request
Date
Date Responsive
Docs added
Nextreque
st
Emails
attached/f
ormat
Subject
8/8/2021 No responsive
Documents 21-927 no
Ordinance
establishing short
term guest
8/8/2021 No responsive
Documents 21-928 no
Ordinance that
establishes
lodging types
8/8/2021 One .xlsx added
8/18/21 21-929 no "Registered" Short-
Term Rentals
8/8/2021
Duplicate 21-929
single .xlsx added
8/18/21
21-930 no
Revenue
(TOT/BIA) from
STRs
10/23/23 - Contact Eric Fraser, [email protected] 8/8/2021 No responsive
Documents 21-931 no
Revenue
(TOT/BIA) from
STRs; automated
collection thereof
8/8/2021 11 .pdfs added
8/18/21 21-932 no BIA Governance
8/8/2021 No responsive
Documents 21-933 no TOT Financial
Impact
8/8/2021 1 .pdf added 8/18/21 21-934 no STR "web scrape" 8/8/2021
Duplicate from 21-
934, 1 .pdf added
8/18/21
21-935 no
Regarding "161
Unregistered
Short-Term
Rentals"
8/8/2021 No responsive
Documents 21-936 no "Renter
Displacement"
8/8/2021 No responsive
Documents 21-937 no
"Super Hosts and
Venture Capital
Ownership"
8/8/2021 No responsive
Documents 21-938 no
"Decrease
Available Housing
Stock"
8/8/2021 No responsive
Documents 21-939 no
"Overconcentratio
n and
Commercialization
of Residential
Neighborhoods"
8/8/2021 No responsive
Documents 21-940 no
"Uneven Playing
Field Between
Other Lodging
Providers and
Short-Term Rental
Owners"
8/8/2021
Link to Legistar
meeting entry for
8/10 Economic
Subcommittee
meeting posted
8/18/21
21-941 no
"Tension Between
Short-Term Rental
Owners and
Neighbors"
8/8/2021
5 .xlsx uploaded 8/17
& 8/26/21. One .xlsx
was a duplicate from
21-929
21-942 no "Noise, Trash, and
Exterior Lighting"
8/8/2021
14 .xlsx, 2 duplicate
uploaded 8/17, 26, &
27/2021
21-943 no "Parking"
8/8/2021 No responsive
Documents 21-944 no "Events and Party
Houses"
8/8/2021
1 duplicate .xlsx file
uploaded 9/8/21 and
a link to legistart
page for all 2021
Community Advisory
Board meetings
uploaded 9/14/21
21-945 no
"Potentially
Difficult to Contact
Transient Renters"
8/8/2021
1 duplicate .xlsx file
uploaded 8/26/21, 48
inaccessible .msg
files, and 1 .doc that
was also duplicated
as a .jpeg on 9/2/21
21-946
contains a
.jpeg and
.doc of an
incomplete
email; 48
inaccessible
.msg files
"Evacuation
Impacts"
8/8/2021 No responsive
Documents 21-947 no "Limit Outdoor
Fires"
8/8/2021
12 emails presented
as .pdfs uploaded
8/23/21
21-948
12 emails
converted
to .pdfs
"How Bad Can it
Get?"
8/8/2021
1 .pdf uploaded
8/16/21 and 1 .xlsx
uploaded 8/26/21
21-949 no Temporary Use
Permit
8/8/2021
6 .pdf uploaded
8/20/21, 1 .csv
uploaded 8/23/21,
and 1 .xlsx
(duplicate) uploaded
8/26/21
21-950 no
Extend Quiet
Hours to Between
9 pm and 8 am
8/8/2021 15 .pdf (incl 2 emails)
uploaded 8/18/21 21-951
no, emails
were
converted
to pdfs
"Look to Existing
Regulations … as
Guides"
8/8/2021 1 email uploaded as
a .pdf 8/18/21 21-952
no, emails
were
converted
to pdfs
Economic
Analysis of STRs
8/8/2021
1 .pdf uploaded
8/18/21, 1
inaccessible .msg
uploaded 8/25/21,
and 2,774
inaccessible emails
uploaded 1/31/23
21-953
2,775
inaccessible
.msg files
Politically Active
Organizations
Source Doc Request
Staff Report, Hartman, page 2
1) ordinances defining a short-
term tenancy. 2) violations of that
ordinances from the past 5 years.
Source Document Reference:
Short Term "Vacation" Rentals,
August 10, 2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 2
1) ordinances that define the
various types of lodgings available
for short-term stays. 2) List of all
lodging types active over the past
5 years identified by last TOT
payment remitted. Source
Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacation" Rentals, August 10,
2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 3
1) Source for the information. 2)
address and APN for all lodging
properties, including STRs. 3)
First date TOT/BIA return filed. 4)
Last date TOT/BIA filed. 5)
Contact name, phone. 6)
"registration" number, 7) %
occupancy per unit per year over
past 5 years. Source Document
Reference: Short Term "Vacation"
Rentals, August 10, 2021,
Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 4
1) Source for the information. 2)
quarterly TOT/BIA revenue figures
for 2015-present. 3) number of
properties by type paying
TOT/BIA per quarter. Source
Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacation" Rentals, August 10,
2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 4
Copies of cooperative
agreements to help collect
TOT/BIA through the booking
process or other administrative
process for 1) AirBNB, 2) VRBO,
3) other on-line booking platforms.
4) correspondence including
letters, emails, as well as notes of
phone conversations regarding
cooperative agreements. 5)
written processes, procedures,
guidance, memorandum and the
like regarding the collection of
TOT/BIA. Source Document
Reference: Short Term "Vacation"
Rentals, August 10, 2021,
Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 4
1) reports for the past 5 years
showing audited financial
statements for all aspects of BIA
spending. 2) Notes,
correspondence and reports
about the formation of the BIA
since its inception. 3) Notes,
correspondence and reports
about establishing a BIA on
residential units since its
inception. 4) Notes,
correspondence, reports
concerning changes to the BIA
since its inception. 5) Policies,
procedures, correspondence
regarding recruiting and
appointing board members to the
BIA since its inception. Source
Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacation" Rentals, August 10,
2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 4
1) reports and statements
showing how TOT revenue has
been spent over the past 5 years.
Source Document Reference:
Short Term "Vacation" Rentals,
August 10, 2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 5
1) contracts and reports from
organizations providing "web
scrape" service over the past 5
years. 2) Exact details about the
reported "358 Unique Short-term
Rentals" including a) when first
detected by the web scrape, b)
the type of unit, c) the precise
location by address and APN, d)
the occupancy rate, e) the source
of the information specifically. 3)
how the "occupancy rate" was
determined for the Hartman
report. Source Document
Reference: Short Term "Vacation"
Rentals, August 10, 2021,
Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 6
Hartman claims that "161
Unregistered Short-term Rentals"
have a "$225 Median Nightly
Rate", and a "76% Average
Occupancy Rate (277 nights per
year)". 1) the report that supports
that information. Hartman claims
that "Gross TOT Revenue
Recovery ~ $900,000 and BIA
Recovery ~ $300,000". 2) the
report that supports that
information. Source Document
Reference: Short Term "Vacation"
Rentals, August 10, 2021,
Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 7
1) Reports, correspondence
supporting the claim of renter
displacement caused by STRs.
Source Document Reference:
Short Term "Vacation" Rentals,
August 10, 2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 7
1) Written definition of "Super
Host" and "Venture Capital
Ownership". 2) Number of current
Airbnb "Superhosts" (quite
different than what Hartment is
eluding to with "Super Host")
within the 193 "registered" STRs.
3) Number of "Venture Capital"
owners within the 193 "registered"
STRs. 4) Reports, analysis,
correspondence supporting an
archetype of ownership called
"Venture Capital Ownership".
Source Document Reference:
Short Term "Vacation" Rentals,
August 10, 2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 7
1) Reports, analysis,
correspondence, notes supporting
the premise of "Decrease
Available Housing Stock" 2)
Reports showing the extent of
housing stock in the City including
a) number of units, b) number of
bedrooms, c) number of vacant
units (as determined by US
Census), d) number of
unoccupied bedrooms each night
over the past 5 years. Source
Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacation" Rentals, August 10,
2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 7
1) Definitions for a)
"Overconcentration" and b)
"Commercialization". 2) Reports
supporting the author's claim
specific to SR. Source Document
Reference: Short Term "Vacation"
Rentals, August 10, 2021,
Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 7
1) Reports or other writings
supporting the author's opinion. 2)
correspondence about this issue
over the past 5 years. Source
Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacation" Rentals, August 10,
2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 7
1) Definition of "tension". 2)
Reports and correspondence
detailing said "tension" over the
past 5 years. 3) Reports,
correspondence, and other
writings about attempts to
dissipate said "tension". Source
Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacation" Rentals, August 10,
2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 7
1) reports and correspondence
about "noise, trash, and exterior
lighting" lodged against
"registered" STRs over the past 5
years. 2) reports and
correspondence about "noise,
trash, and exterior lighting" lodged
against all property owners over
the past 5 years. 3) Policy,
reports, correspondence
regarding abatement procedures
for "noise, Trash, and Exterior
Lighting" from Police, Code
Enforcement, and Fire. Source
Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacation" Rentals, August 10,
2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 7
1) reports and correspondence
about "parking" lodged against
"registered" STRs over the past 5
years. 2) reports and
correspondence about "parking"
lodged against all property owners
over the past 5 years. 3) Policy,
reports, correspondence
regarding abatement procedures
for "parking" from Police, Code
Enforcement, and Fire. Source
Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacation" Rentals, August 10,
2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 7
1) definition of "party house", 2)
number of Party Houses that are
"registered" STRs over the past 5
years, 3) number of "party
houses" that are not STRs over
the past 5 years. 4) Reports,
procedures, ordinances regarding
"events". 5) reports showing
economic impacts provided by
STRs during City-approved (and
or funded) events over the past 5
years. Source Document
Reference: Short Term "Vacation"
Rentals, August 10, 2021,
Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 7
1) Definition of "Transient Renter"
2) Reports or correspondence
that supports the author's claim
that STRs make it "potentially
difficult to contact transient
renters". 2) Reports showing any
situations where law enforcement,
fire, or emergency services had
difficulty contacting transient
renters over the past 5 years.
Source Document Reference:
Short Term "Vacation" Rentals,
August 10, 2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 7
1) Reports showing any situations
where law enforcement, fire, or
emergency services had
"evacuation impacts" caused by
STRs over the past 5 years.
Source Document Reference:
Short Term "Vacation" Rentals,
August 10, 2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 10
1) Reports of fires started by fire
pits, BBQs, and other outdoor
fires for all residential properties
over the past 5 years. Source
Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacation" Rentals, August 10,
2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 8
1) Reports and correspondence
supporting "during June and July
more than 30 complaints were
received from 14 neighbors of one
short-term rental". 2) Reports
showing whether any of the "30
complaints received for June or
July" were duplicitous, vexatious,
or unfounded. 3) Reports and
correspondence about complaints
received about STRs over the
past 5 years, including the
number of duplicate, vexatious, or
unfounded complaints. 4) Reports
and correspondence about
complaints for all properties
received over that past 5 years
including the number of duplicate,
vexatious, or unfounded
complaints. Source Document
Reference: Short Term "Vacation"
Rentals, August 10, 2021,
Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 9
1) Number of Temporary Use
Permits issued for events at all
property types in the past 5 years.
Source Document Reference:
Short Term "Vacation" Rentals,
August 10, 2021, Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 10
1) Ordinances that define a)
levels of noise, b) types of noise
by source, c) exclusions and
exceptions, d) penalties, and e)
appeal process. 2) Number of a)
noise complaints filed, b)
vexatious, duplicative or otherwise
unfounded 3) resolution notes for
each complaint over the past 5
years. Source Document
Reference: Short Term "Vacation"
Rentals, August 10, 2021,
Hartman et al.
Hartman, page 11
1) Reports and other materials
received about other jurisdictions'
STR regulations. Source
Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacation" Rentals, August 10,
2021, Hartman et al.
1) Reports regarding the
economic impacts (positive and
negative) for STRs in Santa Rosa.
Source Document Reference:
Short Term "Vacation" Rentals,
August 10, 2021, Hartman et al.
Generation Housing Sponsors
032221.pdf
1) contracts, receipts, emails,
letters regarding an organization
called "Generation Housing" and
the City 's role as "Catalyzing
Member" (see attached) 2)
contracts, receipts, emails, letters
regarding the "Santa Rosa Metro
Chamber" and STRs (e.g.
vacation rentals). Source
Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacation" Rentals, August 10,
2021, Hartman et al.
While the County has agreements in
place with Airbnb and VRBO to
automate the collection and remittance
of TOT/BIA, SR has apparently
snubbed AirBNB and VRBO offers to
automate the tax-collection process.
(see 17-065)
The BIA may be improperly applied to
lodging in residences. The BIA
governance blocks many types of
lodging providers (e.g. STRs) from
participating in oversight. Research
shows a history of financial
malfeasance, fraud, lack of oversight
within the BIA program.
It is believed that TOT flows into the
General Fund
It appears (page 6) that the web scrape
was a result of a search for "Wine
Country short-term rental", and is
anticipated to yield results from outside
the City limits. Therefore, these
statistics are part of the City's
disinformation campaign.
Hartman is making this up!
They have nothing
They have nothing
They have nothing
They have nothing
They have nothing
They are exacerbating conflict for
political gain.
This information was instrumental in
showing that STRs have no track
record of noise complaints, and that the
City inadequately handles these issues.
It shows how all properties should be
held to the same standards.
This information was instrumental in
showing that STRs have no track
record of parking complaints although
assigning a property to a parking
problem on a public street is
impossible, and that the City
inadequately handles these issues. It
shows how all vehicles should be held
to the same standards.
They have nothing
They don't understand the relationship
between host/manager and guests.
They have nothing
The .doc & .jpeg were found also in 17-
065. Many inaccessible email in this
response.
They have nothing
This is just 12 letters from residents
with unverified complaints!
Nothing to do with STRs
Nothing to do with STRs, but provides
an intersting history of noise ordiances
for the City.
Provides some intersting comparisions
to other jurisidictions although the case
studies do not apply to the City urgency
ordinance.
The email was a brief update on BIA
collection. No research was performed
on STR's impacts in Santa Rosa.
2,774 .msg files were added 541 days
after the original request !!!
Agenda Item 12.1 PUBLIC RECORDS ACT MANAGEMENT SOLUTION AGREEMENT AMENDMENT WITH
NEXTREQUEST
Dear Mayor, City Council, and the City’s media agents;
Thank you for the opportunity to impart my knowledge after successfully using the Nextrequest platform since its adoption by the City of Santa Rosa in 2019. Recently (in the last few days), inaccurate reporting by the Press Democrat / Sonoma Media Investments about our public records requests compels us to correct the record.
1 The feedback from the Press Democrat’s brand of yellow journalism has also provided energy, resources, and resolve for us to dig deeper into the issues of government malfeasance, corruption, and abuses. Know that we started out trying to substantiate claims government was making during rulemaking; but as good citizens we’re now compelled to follow-through on the inconsistences we see when trying to verify information by using source documentation.
First, we are thankful that we have Nextrequest as a platform to organize public record requests. Not only does it provide a way to research whether a request need be filed by first checking to see if the information is already accessible, but if a request is filed, a way to dialogue with the government employee to make sure the request is understood and can be efficiently fulfilled. Lastly, since it is a publicly accessible platform, responsive records to our requests and those made by thousands of requesters can be shared with others easily by link. This was important for us so we can share responsive records with the hundreds of others in our network including property owners, researchers, attorneys, investigators and so on, by logging on to https://cityofsantarosaca.nextrequest.com/
Because we share documents, and people enjoy accessing source documents directly from the source, there is a concern from reading the Nextrequest contract that records or requests might be removed after a certain amount of time. Since the direct source of information is relied on for research, litigation, policy making, historical records, and more, the removal of records without notice may create hardship and confusion – and liability for the City.
Problem One: Will records or requests be removed in the future?
For those accessing records, the document reader tab usually shows the responsive records in readable view for use in the instant (24/7, adaptive to the user’s needs). Links can be clinked through. But .msg files are not accessible. Why? In discussing the problem directly with Nextdoor, we learned that they have the fix for that, but the City must opt-in.
Problem Two: Convert .msg files to accessible documents. Why are some emails converted but others are not?
1 See Sunday 8/22/23 Press Democrat Cover Story “Investigators or ‘stalkers’? When Sonoma County citizen-activists push the boundaries on public access” and the inset “Eric Fraser vs. City of Santa Rosa”, https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/investigators-or-stalkers-when-sonoma-county-citizen-activists-push- the/?fbclid=IwAR3JyAEmppJYNu-IaW1gDL2nygxDZjSrCrW_X4rADJMReddEz1Tn55XQBZc
Agenda Item 12.1
So why is it that some (most) emails are inaccessible? One case we’ll present contains 28 Nextrequests filed on 8/8/21 to collect source documents regarding the (first) Short-term Rental Urgency Ordinance.
Claims were being made against STR properties that were inaccurate or made-up. The Press Democrat was publishing these inaccuracies and adding more of their own made-up narratives. We needed to get at source documents to establish a fact-basis for management of prejudice because of regulations and for good neighborhood relations. Since it was an Urgency Ordinance, there were no source documents provided to buttress the claims that were made prior to voting by the City Council. Not only where the claims unsubstantiated, but the Urgency Ordinance process should only be used for addressing fact-based problems, according to California law.
So, using the only staff report (Source Document Reference: Short Term "Vacation" Rentals, August 10, 2021, Hartman et al. presentation to the Economic Sub-committee found through the link at Nextrequest 21-941) we filed requests based on the separate pillars upon which City staff were constructing the Urgency Ordinance, see attached 8/8/2021 Nextrequests RE STR Urgency Ordinance.
The Press Democrat article text box “Eric Fraser vs. City of Santa Rosa” claims that 2,776 responsive documents were provided, so we’ll be able to correct the record on that also. It is interesting that the Press Democrat knew that I was the person who made these requests, since name and contact information of requesters is only obtainable by records requests according to the Nextrequest User Agreement. However, this information is for the use of the staff member and requester agrees that it is public record (one can also submit a request confidentially). Anyway, it appears that the Press Democrat would need to file a request. Did they? We searched Nextrequest for “Press Democrat” and honed-in on 2023 where we saw 6 requests from PD reporters, but none about requesting public documents overall. To do their jobs adequately, we would expect to see hundreds of requests each year from them. See Press Democrat 2023 Nextrequest Search, attached.
Problems Three and Four: Is the Press Democrat and other parties able to skirt around the Nextrequest platform for their public records requests?
Why wouldn’t all responsive documents be publicly available?
Problems Five, Six, Seven, and Eight:
Does the Press Democrat or others have unfettered access to public documents without using CPRA?
Do they “catch and kill”
2 information that is derogatory to their or their clients’ interests?
Do they co-ordinate information with City staff and elected officials (propaganda) to achieve policy objectives?
2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch_and_kill
Agenda Item 12.1
Is the Press Democrat paid by government or clients to “catch and kill” derogatory information, or co-ordinate disinformation?
Reviewing our 28 Nextrequests from 8/8/21 (8/8/2021 Nextrequests RE STR Urgency Ordinance), we can share this analysis:
- 28 requests, but only 17 with responsive records.
- The other 11 requests provided no source documentation or facts to support the essential reasons provided by the City for the Urgency Ordinance. - The 17 requests produced 119 responsive records within 90 days (70 accessible records, and 49 inaccessible .msg files)
- Links to responsive records were used on thousands of emails, analysis, and reports with future publications certain.
- On 1/31/23, 541 days after our original request, 2,774 inaccessible .msg files were added to Nextrequest # 21-953. (We look forward to reading them!) This was a bone of contention for the PD – why? Shouldn’t they be reporting on this abuse of process by the City? After all, the information was to be used in conjunction with an Urgency Ordinance constructed 16 months before, and the City provided little opportunity to guide them in efficiently responding prior to this massive document drop.
Problem 9: What assistance does Nextrequest, or the City provide to researchers who stumble upon examples of government malfeasance, conspiracy, corruption?
Reviewing the 2023 Nextrequests using search “Press Democrat” (Press Democrat 2023 Nextrequest Search), we can share this analysis:
- 6 requests, 4 with responsive records.
- 1 request with responsive records had those records obscured from public viewing (23-290). - 1 request had 106 inaccessible .msg files (23-195).
- 1 request linked responsive records from SRFD (23-580). - 2 requests provided information and feedback, but with no responsive records attached. - No requests related to “record requests” overall.
Because we use our real name, and in outreach with the public use an accessible email address, it’s no surprise that others contact us to share source documents based on their subjects of interest. Most everybody would agree that additional training and information about how Nextrequest, CPRA, city processes and departments work and how citizens can engage resources is needed and essential. The City’s Community Advisory Board and the Office of Community Engagement have been promising these materials and videos for years, maybe decades. It looks like we must take ownership over this problem and produce these materials ourselves.
Agenda Item 12.1
Problem 10: Does Nextrequest provide training materials to assist requesters in using Nextrequest or to help government clients fulfill their mission of providing access and transparency to their constituents?
In closing, we hope to create an environment where transparency in governmental affairs will provide an even playing field for people to pursue quality-of-life goals based on justice and fact-based rules.
There should be no tolerance for corruption in government, and elected leaders must realize that their top priority is one of oversight for the common good.
Thank you Clerk Daisy Gomez for introducing Nextrequest into the City’s toolbox.
Looking forward to being of service,
Eric Fraser/c/
Eric Fraser
cc: Attorney’s file
Request
Date Date Responsive Docs added Nextrequest Emails
attached/format Subject Source Doc Request Notes
8/8/21 No responsive Documents 21-927 no
Ord nance
estab sh ng short
term guest
Staff Report, Hartman,
page 2
1) ord nances def n ng a short term tenancy. 2)
v o at ons of that ord nances from the past 5 years.
Source Document Reference: Short Term "Vacat on"
Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
The ord nance w say
someth ng to the effect
that anybody who s ays
for a short term (30 days
or ess) regard ess of
whether they pa d for the
stay, the r re at onsh p to
the host, or for any other
reason are not exc uded
from TOT.
8/8/21 No responsive Documents 21-928 no
Ord nance that
estab shes
odg ng types
Hartman, page 2
1) ord nances that def ne the var ous types of
odg ngs ava ab e for short term s ays. 2) L st of a
odg ng types act ve over the past 5 years dent f ed
by ast TOT payment rem tted. Source Document
Reference: Short Term "Vacat on" Ren a s, August
10, 2021, Hartman et a .
What are the d fferent
forms of odg ng?
8/8/21 One .x sx added 8/18/21 21-929 no "Reg stered" Short Term Renta s Hartman, page 3
1) Source for the nformat on. 2) address and APN
for a odg ng propert es, nc ud ng STRs. 3) F rst
date TOT/BIA return f ed. 4) Last date TOT/BIA f ed.
5) Contact name, phone. 6) "reg strat on" number, 7)
% occupancy per un t per year over past 5 years.
Source Document Reference: Short Term "Vacat on"
Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
Hartman makes the c a m
that SR has 197
"reg stered" short term
renta s, however SR does
not have a "reg strat on
system" for STRs. Instead,
the da a s probab y
drawn from F nance re:
TOT/BIA returns and
aggregated over a per od
of t me. We expect to see
ess than 90 STRs
act ve y operat ng from
w th n SR. "Act ve" s
meant to mean hav ng
f ed TOT/BIA w th n the
ast 365 days.
8/8/21 Dup cate 21 929 s ng e x sx
added 8/18/21 21-930 no
Revenue
(TOT/BIA) from
STRs
Hartman, page 4
1) Source for the nformat on. 2) quarter y TOT/BIA
revenue f gures for 2015 present. 3) number of
propert es by type pay ng TOT/BIA per quarter.
Source Document Reference: Short Term "Vacat on"
Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
Inaccurate to say that
revenue was from 197
STRs, s nce many were
not or are not accept ng
guests.
10/23/23 - Contact Eric Fraser, [email protected] 8/8/21 No responsive Documents 21-931 no
Revenue
(TOT/BIA) from
STRs; automated
co ect on thereof
Hartman, page 4
Cop es of cooperat ve agreements to he p co ect
TOT/BIA through the book ng process or other
adm n strat ve process for 1) A rBNB, 2) VRBO, 3)
other on ne book ng p atforms. 4) correspondence
nc ud ng etters, ema s, as we as notes of phone
conversat ons regard ng cooperat ve agreements.
5) wr tten processes, procedures, gu dance,
memorandum and the ke regard ng the co ect on
of TOT/BIA. Source Document Reference: Short
Term "Vacat on" Ren a s, August 10, 2021, Hartman
et a .
Wh e the County has
agreements n p ace w th
A rbnb and VRBO to
automate the co ect on
and rem ttance of
TOT/BIA, SR has
apparent y snubbed
A rBNB and VRBO offers
to automate the tax
co ect on process. (see
17 065)
8/8/21 11 .pdfs added 8/18/21 21-932 no BIA Governance Hartman, page 4 1) reports for the past 5 years show ng aud ted
f nanc a statements for a aspects of BIA spend ng.
2) Notes, correspondence and reports about the
format on of the BIA s nce ts ncept on. 3) Notes,
correspondence and reports about estab sh ng a
BIA on res dent a un ts s nce ts ncept on. 4) Notes,
correspondence, reports concern ng changes to the
BIA s nce ts ncept on. 5) Po c es, procedures,
correspondence regard ng recru t ng and
appo nt ng board members to the BIA s nce ts
ncept on. Source Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacat on" Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
The BIA may be
mproper y app ed to
odg ng n res dences.
The BIA governance
b ocks many types of
odg ng prov ders (e.g.
STRs) from part c pat ng
n overs ght. Research
shows a h story of
f nanc a ma feasance,
fraud, ack of overs ght
w th n the BIA program.
8/8/21 No responsive Documents 21-933 no TOT F nanc a
Impact Hartman, page 4
1) reports and statements show ng how TOT
revenue has been spent over the past 5 years.
Source Document Reference: Short Term "Vacat on"
Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
It s be eved that TOT
f ows nto the Genera
Fund
8/8/21 1 .pdf added 8/18/21 21-934 no STR "web scrape" Hartman, page 5 1) contracts and reports from organ zat ons
prov d ng "web scrape" serv ce over the past 5
years. 2) Exact de a s about the reported "358
Un que Short term Renta s" nc ud ng a) when f rst
detected by the web scrape, b) the type of un t, c)
the prec se ocat on by address and APN, d) the
occupancy rate, e) the source of the nformat on
spec f ca y. 3) how the "occupancy rate" was
determ ned for the Hartman report. Source
Document Reference: Short Term "Vacat on"
Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
It appears (page 6) that
the web scrape was a
resu t of a search for
"W ne Country short term
renta ", and s ant c pated
to y e d resu ts from
outs de the C ty m ts.
Therefore, these stat st cs
are part of the C ty's
d s nformat on campa gn.
8/8/21 Dup cate from 21 934, 1 .pdf
added 8/18/21 21-935 no
Regard ng "161
Unreg stered Short
Term Ren a s"
Hartman, page 6
Hartman c a ms that "161 Unreg stered Short term
Renta s" have a "$225 Med an N ght y Rate", and a
"76% Average Occupancy Rate (277 n ghts per
year)". 1) the report that supports that nformat on.
Hartman c a ms that "Gross TOT Revenue Recovery
~ $900,000 and BIA Recovery ~ $300,000". 2) the
report that supports that nformat on. Source
Document Reference: Short Term "Vacat on"
Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
Hartman s mak ng th s
up!
8/8/21 No responsive Documents 21-936 no "Renter
D sp acement" Hartman, page 7
1) Reports, correspondence support ng the c a m of
renter d sp acement caused by STRs. Source
Document Reference: Short Term "Vacat on"
Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
They have noth ng
8/8/21 No responsive Documents 21-937 no
"Super Hosts and
Venture Cap a
Ownersh p"
Hartman, page 7
1) Wr tten def n t on of "Super Host" and "Venture
Cap ta Ownersh p". 2) Number of current A rbnb
"Superhosts" (qu te d fferent than what Hartment s
e ud ng to w th "Super Host") w th n the 193
"reg stered" STRs. 3) Number of "Venture Cap ta "
owners w th n the 193 "reg stered" STRs. 4)
Reports, ana ys s, correspondence support ng an
archetype of ownersh p ca ed "Venture Cap ta
Ownersh p". Source Document Reference: Short
Term "Vacat on" Ren a s, August 10, 2021, Hartman
et a .
They have noth ng
8/8/21 No responsive Documents 21-938 no
"Decrease
Ava ab e Hous ng
Stock"
Hartman, page 7
1) Reports, ana ys s, correspondence, notes
support ng the prem se of "Decrease Ava ab e
Hous ng Stock" 2) Reports show ng the extent of
hous ng stock n the C ty nc ud ng a) number of
un ts, b) number of bedrooms, c) number of vacant
un ts (as determ ned by US Census), d) number of
unoccup ed bedrooms each n ght over the past 5
years. Source Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacat on" Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
They have noth ng
8/8/21 No responsive Documents 21-939 no
"Overconcentrat o
n and
Commerc a zat on
of Res dent a
Ne ghborhoods"
Hartman, page 7
1) Def n t ons for a) "Overconcentrat on" and b)
"Commerc a zat on". 2) Reports support ng the
author's c a m spec f c to SR. Source Document
Reference: Short Term "Vacat on" Ren a s, August
10, 2021, Hartman et a .
They have noth ng
8/8/21 No responsive Documents 21-940 no
"Uneven P ay ng
F e d Between
Other Lodg ng
Prov ders and
Short Term Renta
Owners"
Hartman, page 7
1) Reports or other wr t ngs support ng the author's
op n on. 2) correspondence about th s ssue over
the past 5 years. Source Document Reference:
Short Term "Vacat on" Renta s, August 10, 2021,
Hartman et a .
They have noth ng
8/8/21
L nk to Leg star meet ng entry for
8/10 Econom c Subcomm ttee
meet ng posted 8/18/21
21-941 no
"Tens on Between
Short Term Renta
Owners and
Ne ghbors"
Hartman, page 7
1) Def n t on of "tens on". 2) Reports and
correspondence deta ng sa d "tens on" over the
past 5 years. 3) Reports, correspondence, and other
wr t ngs about attempts to d ss pate sa d "tens on".
Source Document Reference: Short Term "Vacat on"
Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
They are exacerbat ng
conf ct for po t ca ga n.
8/8/21
5 .x sx up oaded 8/17 & 8/26/21.
One .x sx was a dup cate from 21
929
21-942 no "No se, Trash, and
Exter or L ght ng" Hartman, page 7
1) reports and correspondence about "no se, trash,
and exter or ght ng" odged aga nst "reg stered"
STRs over the past 5 years. 2) reports and
correspondence about "no se, trash, and exter or
ght ng" odged aga nst a property owners over the
past 5 years. 3) Po cy, reports, correspondence
regard ng abatement procedures for "no se, Trash,
and Exter or L ght ng" from Po ce, Code
Enforcement, and F re. Source Document
Reference: Short Term "Vacat on" Ren a s, August
10, 2021, Hartman et a .
Th s nformat on was
nstrumenta n show ng
that STRs have no track
record of no se
comp a nts, and that the
C ty nadequate y
hand es these ssues. It
shows how a propert es
shou d be he d to the
same standards.
8/8/21 14 .x sx, 2 dup cate up oaded
8/17, 26, & 27/2021 21-943 no "Park ng" Hartman, page 7 1) reports and correspondence about "park ng"
odged aga nst "reg stered" STRs over the past 5
years. 2) reports and correspondence about
"park ng" odged aga nst a property owners over
the past 5 years. 3) Po cy, reports, correspondence
regard ng abatement procedures for "park ng" from
Po ce, Code Enforcement, and F re. Source
Document Reference: Short Term "Vacat on"
Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
Th s nformat on was
nstrumenta n show ng
that STRs have no track
record of park ng
comp a nts a though
ass gn ng a property to a
park ng prob em on a
pub c street s
mposs b e, and that the
C ty nadequate y
hand es these ssues. It
shows how a veh c es
shou d be he d to the
same standards.
8/8/21 No responsive Documents 21-944 no "Events and Party Houses" Hartman, page 7
1) def n t on of "party house", 2) number of Party
Houses that are "reg stered" STRs over the past 5
years, 3) number of "party houses" that are not STRs
over the past 5 years. 4) Reports, procedures,
ord nances regard ng "events". 5) reports show ng
econom c mpacts prov ded by STRs dur ng C ty
approved (and or funded) events over the past 5
years. Source Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacat on" Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
They have noth ng
8/8/21
1 dup cate .x sx f e up oaded
9/8/21 and a nk to eg start page
for a 2021 Commun ty Adv sory
Board meet ngs up oaded
9/14/21
21-945 no
"Potent a y
D ff cu t to Contact
Trans ent Renters"
Hartman, page 7
1) Def n t on of "Trans ent Renter" 2) Reports or
correspondence that supports the author's c a m that
STRs make t "potent a y d ff cu t to contact trans ent
renters". 2) Reports show ng any s tuat ons where
aw enforcement, f re, or emergency serv ces had
d ff cu ty contact ng trans ent renters over the past 5 years. Source Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacat on" Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
They don't understand the
re at onsh p between
host/manager and guests.
They have noth ng
8/8/21
1 dup cate .x sx f e up oaded
8/26/21, 48 naccess b e .msg
f es, and 1 .doc that was a so
dup cated as a .jpeg on 9/2/21
21-946
contains a .jpeg and
.doc of an
incomplete email; 48
inaccessible .msg
files
"Evacuat on
Impacts" Hartman, page 7
1) Reports show ng any s tuat ons where aw
enforcement, f re, or emergency serv ces had
"evacuat on mpacts" caused by STRs over the past
5 years. Source Document Reference: Short Term
"Vacat on" Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
The .doc & .jpeg were
found a so n 17 065.
Many naccess b e ema
n th s response.
8/8/21 No responsive Documents 21-947 no "L m t Outdoor F res" Hartman, page 10
1) Reports of f res started by f re p ts, BBQs, and
other outdoor f res for a res dent a propert es over
the past 5 years. Source Document Reference:
Short Term "Vacat on" Renta s, August 10, 2021,
Hartman et a .
They have noth ng
8/8/21 12 ema s presented as .pdfs
up oaded 8/23/21 21-948 12 emails converted
to .pdfs
"How Bad Can t
Get?" Hartman, page 8
1) Reports and correspondence support ng "dur ng
June and Ju y more than 30 comp a nts were
rece ved from 14 ne ghbors of one short term
renta ". 2) Reports show ng whether any of the "30
comp a nts rece ved for June or Ju y" were
dup c tous, vexat ous, or unfounded. 3) Reports and
correspondence about comp a nts rece ved about
STRs over the past 5 years, nc ud ng the number of
dup cate, vexat ous, or unfounded comp a nts. 4)
Reports and correspondence about comp a nts for
a propert es rece ved over that past 5 years
nc ud ng the number of dup cate, vexat ous, or
unfounded comp a nts. Source Document
Reference: Short Term "Vacat on" Ren a s, August
10, 2021, Hartman et a .
Th s s just 12 etters from
res dents w th unver f ed
comp a nts!
8/8/21 1 .pdf up oaded 8/16/21 and 1
.x sx up oaded 8/26/21 21-949 no Temporary Use
Perm t Hartman, page 9
1) Number of Temporary Use Perm ts ssued for
events at a property types n the past 5 years.
Source Document Reference: Short Term "Vacat on"
Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
Noth ng to do w th STRs
8/8/21
6 .pdf up oaded 8/20/21, 1 .csv
up oaded 8/23/21, and 1 .x sx
(dup cate) up oaded 8/26/21
21-950 no
Extend Qu et
Hours to Between
9 pm and 8 am
Hartman, page 10
1) Ord nances that def ne a) eve s of no se, b) types
of no se by source, c) exc us ons and except ons, d)
pena t es, and e) appea process. 2) Number of a)
no se comp a nts f ed, b) vexat ous, dup cat ve or
otherw se unfounded 3) reso ut on notes for each
comp a nt over the past 5 years. Source Document
Reference: Short Term "Vacat on" Ren a s, August
10, 2021, Hartman et a .
Noth ng to do w th STRs,
but prov des an nterst ng
h story of no se ord ances
for the C ty.
8/8/21 15 .pdf ( nc 2 ema s) up oaded
8/18/21 21-951 no, emails were
converted to pdfs
"Look to Ex st ng
Regu at ons … as
Gu des"
Hartman, page 11
1) Reports and other mater a s rece ved about other
jur sd ct ons' STR regu at ons. Source Document
Reference: Short Term "Vacat on" Ren a s, August
10, 2021, Hartman et a .
Prov des some nterst ng
compar s ons to other
jur s d ct ons a though the
case stud es do not app y
to the C ty urgency
ord nance.
8/8/21 1 ema up oaded as a .pdf
8/18/21 21-952 no, emails were
converted to pdfs
Econom c Ana ys s
of STRs
1) Reports regard ng the econom c mpacts (pos t ve
and negat ve) for STRs n Santa Rosa. Source
Document Reference: Short Term "Vacat on"
Renta s, August 10, 2021, Hartman et a .
The ema was a br ef
update on BIA co ect on.
No research was
performed on STR's
mpacts n Santa Rosa.
8/8/21
1 .pdf up oaded 8/18/21, 1
naccess b e .msg up oaded
8/25/21, and 2,774 naccess b e
ema s up oaded 1/31/23
21-953 2,775 inaccessible
.msg files
Po t ca y Act ve
Organ zat ons
Generat on Hous ng
Sponsors 032221.pdf
1) contracts, rece pts, ema s, etters regard ng an
organ zat on ca ed "Generat on Hous ng" and the
C ty 's ro e as "Cata yz ng Member" (see attached)
2) contracts, rece pts, ema s, etters regard ng the
"Santa Rosa Metro Chamber" and STRs (e.g.
vacat on renta s). Source Document Reference:
Short Term "Vacat on" Renta s, August 10, 2021,
Hartman et a .
2,774 .msg files were
added 541 days after the
original request !!!
Request
Date
Date Responsive Docs
added Nextrequest Emails
attached/format Subject Notes
1/10/23
No responsive documents,
but instructions in the
timeline.
23-33 None David Pelaez-Chavez
2/7/23 4 .pdfs uploaded 2/7/23 23-115 None Palms Inn
3/1/23 106 inaccessible .msg files
uploaded 3/14/23 23-195 106 inaccessible .msg
files
Natalie Roger's
remarks about Racial
Mistreatment
3/23/23
3 .pdf released to
requester, but not
accessible to the public
23-290 Not sure Palms Inn
6/8/23 3 .pdf posted 6/22/23 23-580 None 400 Administration Dr. 9/14/23 No responsive documents 23-971 None Sam Jones Hall Seems to have
received the
documents
through other
channels as the
request was
"withdrawn".
10/23/23 Eric Fraser, [email protected]. Produced from a search on Nextrequest "Press Democrat" Request
Date
Date Responsive Docs
added Nextrequest Emails
attached/format Subject Notes
1/10/2023
No responsive documents,
but instructions in the
timeline.
23-33 None David Pelaez-Chavez
2/7/2023 4 .pdfs uploaded 2/7/23 23-115 None Palms Inn
3/1/2023 106 inaccessible .msg files
uploaded 3/14/23 23-195 106 inaccessible .msg files
Natalie Roger's remarks
about Racial
Mistreatment
3/23/2023
3 .pdf released to requester,
but not accessible to the
public
23-290 Not sure Palms Inn
6/8/2023 3 .pdf posted 6/22/23 23-580 None 400 Administration Dr. 9/14/2023 No responsive documents 23-971 None Sam Jones Hall Seems to have
received the
documents
through other
channels as the
request was
"withdrawn".
10/23/23 Eric Fraser, [email protected]. Produced from a search on Nextrequest "Press Democrat"