CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
STAFF REPORT
D
ecember 15, 2025
To: Cit
y Council
Fr
om: Department of Environmental Services
Stratis Perros, Environmental Services Director
Subj
ect: Consideration of a draft ordinance to regulate short-term rentals and collect Transient Occupancy Tax, and request for direction
Staff Recommendation
I
t is recommended that the City Council provide policy direction on the proposed ordinance t o r egulate short-term rentals (STRs), including collection of Transient Occupancy Taxes (TOT), Business Taxes (BTC), and Tourism Marketing District (TMD) assessments; establishment of service fees and fines; authorization to use consulting services for tracking and collection; and receiving input from the Neighborhood Councils and Planning Commission.
Background
O
ver the last several years, “home- sharing” platforms have expanded the prevalence of STR activity. The City Council was provided with options for STR regulations on November 18, 2024, and August 4, 2025 (both in Attachment D ). The City Council directed Staff on August 4, 2025, to return to the Council once a pending State law, Senate Bill (SB) 346, was approved, to determine what an ordinance should cover.
Additionally, the Council directed Staff to make the necessary modifications to Title 3, Chapter 1 – Business Taxes, Chapter 5 – Taxes, and Chapter 7 – Tourism Marketing District, to allow for the collection of business taxes, TOT, and TMD assessments on STRs.
S
B 346 was approved on October 13, 2025. The law requires STR facilitators such as Airbnb, Vrbo, and other rental platforms (facilitators) to share data with cities and counties, if the jurisdiction has adopted an ordinance to this effect, to improve tax collection. SB 346 allows cities and counties to adopt ordinances requiring STR rental facilitators to report key information that verifies the physical location, licensing, and tax status of each STR . The City would be able to request identifying information for STRs operating within the City on a quarterly basis.
T
he City would also be able to impose administrative fines or penalties on STR facilitators who fail to provide this information and be able to audit STR facilitators to document the receipt of TOT due and payable to the City, if the STR facilitator is responsible for collecting and remitting TOT. SB 346 does not preclude the City from adopting an ordinance regulating STRs within the City. Amendments to the existing Simi Valley AGENDA ITEM NO.
9A
Municipal C ode (SVMC) sections would be necessary to collect taxes and the TMD assessment, if directed by the City Council.
SVMC Section 3-5 Article 3 – Transient Occupancy Taxes authorizes the City to collect TOT. This article, the “Uniform Transient Occupancy Tax Law of the City of Simi Valley,” includes definitions of establishments subject to TOT, a rate of 10 percent of the rent charged by an operato r, and requires the payment to the Finance Director (‘Tax Collector’) on a quarterly basis. There is also an additional assessment for the Simi Valley Tourism Marketing District (SVMC 3 -7), which consists of a two percent tax . The City Council can choose to include STRs in the TMD.
SVMC Section 3 -1 Article 1 – Business Tax Certificate authorizes the City to issue a business tax certificat e, and Article 2 – Business Taxes authorizes the City to collect business tax. This section includes definitions and establishes which businesses are subject to the section and which are exempt.
The draft ordinance is a policy vehicle intended to present choices for Council consideration before the ordinance advances to the Planning Commission for formal public hearing and recommendation.
Discussion
A draft ordinance that establishes a comprehensive regulatory program for STRs and the collection of taxes and assessments is included as Attachment A. In short, the City would implement an STR program in which applicants must meet rigorous standards, undergo intensive review and scrutiny, and can be removed if noncompliant. After receiving input from the City Council and community, key components are proposed to minimize neighborhood concerns and to create a process for homeowners to provide STR services responsibly. Components would include:
• Definitions and Allowed Zones (Single Family homes only; no ADUs or accessory structures to be rented)
• STR Application/Permitting Fees (maximum number of permits) • Performance Standards (e.g. Insurance, HOA approval, occupancy limits, no unpermitted guests, noise monitor, parking requirements, Good Neighbor Policy) • Nuisance Response Plans (neighbor notifications, nuisance responses by owner) • Violations, Fines, and Appeals
• Grounds for Denial, Suspension, or Revocation
• STR Application/Permitting Fees (maximum number of permits in City) • BTC, TOT, and TMD Collection
The components of the draft ordinance are further detailed in the sections below.
Finance-Related Amendments (TOT, Business Tax, and TMD)
Business Tax (Title 3, Chapter 1)
2 The draft ordinance clarifies certain rental exemptions for rentals of 31 days or longer.
TOT Definitions (Title 3, Chapter 5)
The draft ordinance clarifies the definition of “hotel” to make it expressly clear that the existing definition includes transient lodging such as STRs . Although STRS have not historically been registered or remitting TOT , STR stays of 30 days or less are already within the City’s existing TOT scheme as taxable “transient” lodging. As such, t he proposed definitional edits do not impose a new tax or increase the tax rate. Accordingly, the amendment is not an “impose, extend, or increase” of a local tax that would trigger voter-approval requirements.
TMD (Title 3, Chapter 7).
The draft ordinance includes STRs within the TMD boundaries and applies the TMD assessment (two percent of gross short -term sleeping room rental revenue), excluding stays over 30 consecutive days. Because the TMD is a district formed under the Property and Business Improvement District Law of 1994 (Streets and Highways Code S ection 36600 et seq.), expanding the assessed class to include short -term rentals may require additional statutory steps beyond a municipal code amendment, such as amending the management district plan and assessment methodology, preparing any required updated reports, and completing the required notice, public hearing, and petition and ballot procedures
The above amendments to Title 3 of the Municipal Code, shown in Sections 3 through 5 of Attachment A , would allow the City to issue Business Tax Certificates to STRs operating in the City , collect business tax, and collect TOT via HdL, the City’s existing vendor. These changes would incorporate the terminology and definitions in SB 346 to enable the City to enforce audits and fines as laid out in State law.
Overview of the Regulatory Framework
The draft ordinance’s STR provisions are organized into two integrated components: a regulatory ordinance providing for permitting and enforcement and zoning amendments, implemented through amendments to Titles 5 and 9, respectively:
• STR Permit Program and Operating Standards (Title 5, [New] Chapter 46)
o Permit requirement; applicability/exemptions
o Permit application contents (including neighborhood notification) and fees established by Council resolution
o Administrative decision; denial criteria
o Permit duration, renewal process, non-transferability, and (if retained) the citywide permit cap
o Nuisance Response Plan requirements and required distribution/posting of the plan and Good Neighbor Guidelines
3 o O perating (“performance”) standards, including advertisement disclosures, occupancy/parking limits, insurance, reporting, noise-monitor requirements, and event restrictions
o STR facilitation responsibilities
o Enforcement tools: fines, suspension/revocation, appeals process
• Zoning (Title 9)
o Modifications to the land use table
o Addition of an “STR” definition in the Development Code Glossary
Overview of the Regulatory Framework (Title 5, New Chapter 46)
Regulations for STRs are proposed to be included in Title 5 (Public Welfare) and broken out into the subcategories below:
Permit Requirements
The ordinance prohibits renting, offering, or advertising an STR without a City permit .
Permits are personal to the permittee, nontransferable, do not run with the land, and expire annually (December 31), with renewal required. Permits can be limited to a quantity set by the City Council (if a desire to limit). The draft includes a placeholder for a citywide annual permit cap.
Permit Applications and Fees
Applicants must submit a complete, verified application. A completed application for a permit would require the following elements:
• Permit fees
• A business tax certificate
• A nuisance response plan (see below for more details) • Evidence of insurance
• Homeowners Association (HOA) approval, if the home is within an HOA • A written declaration that a notification of the proposed permit and the nuisance response plan has been provided to all property owners within 200 feet, and that the Good Neighbor Policy (see below for more details) will be posted, along with parking requirements and occupancy limits, in visible locations in the STR.
As the final ordinance is developed and the permitting system implemented, additional documentation may be added to the above list.
To implement a STR Ordinance, the City Council must adopt permit fees. These fees may cover processing time spent on the STR application review and issuance, and related expenses to administer the program.
4 Nuisance Response Plan
Each permit approval will require a nuisance response plan that provides the contact details of no more than three people who will be available to respond to nuisance complaints arising from the STR at all times of day. This plan will need to be mailed out to all property owners within 200 feet of the STR every time a permit is issued or renewed.
This will also need to be posted visibly within the STR. This would potentially allow minor nuisance issues to be resolved by the STR owner. The STR owner has 30 minutes to respond to a nuisance complaint and remedy the situation. A complaint that is not addressed by the STR owner can be escalated to the City by the complainant. A sample nuisance response plan from the City of Goleta is included as Attachment B.
Approval of Permit – Grounds for Denial, Suspensions, or Revocation
The draft ordinance spells out procedures to approve, deny, suspend, or revoke a STR application or permit. No permits will be issued or renewed where a STR permit has been suspended or revoked in the past 24 months, where a STR is proposed in a location/structure that is not a bedroom or a single- family home (see Definitions section below), when outstanding fees and taxes are due, or if there are any open enforcement actions on the property. Permits may be revoked or suspended for violations of the STR regulations or when the City believes there may be dangers to the public health and safety.
Performance Standards
The performance standards section of the ordinance includes the following requirements:
• That an STR operator ensures that all applicable health and safety requirements, such as adherence to the Building Code, etc., are met
• That the City Permit is displayed in the STR
• Insurance is obtained
• That HOA approval (if applicable) be provided
• That information about the occupants of the STR is maintained • That occupants be limited to two per bedroom
• That vehicles will be limited to the number of off-street parking spaces (exclusively available for STR tenants)
• Trash would need to be kept out of public view, except for the purpose of scheduled trash collection
• Events and parties are prohibited. Use of the short -term rental is limited to the registered overnight guests, and the property may not be used for any event that charges admission or otherwise involves paid entry
• A noise monitor is required to be in continuous operation, with express privacy - oriented constraints. Noise-restricted hours would coincide with the City’s Noise Ordinance
• A nuisance response plan would need to be maintained, and complaints responded to appropriately
5 • A Good Neighbor Policy, developed by the City, would also need to be posted in the STR. An example of a Good Neighbor Policy is included as Attachment C
The STR owner would need to ensure renters are informed of all City requirements. The STR owner would also need to ensure that they maintain records of rental nights, TOT revenues, etc., as required by the City or the vendor handling TOT collection.
Violations/Fines/Appeals
Violations can range from operating a STR without a permit to violating the performance standards and conditions of a STR permit. This would include the owner/agent not responding to a nuisance complaint in a timely manner. Violations related to a STR operation would be responded to by a Code Compliance officer or the Police Department, depending on the nature and time of the violation. This may require additional staffing and costs to support a 24-hour response.
Fines in line with current State Law may be authorized by the City Council for violations of the STR regulations. Pursuant to Government Code section 36900, health and safety fines for STR infraction violations range from:
$1,500 for a first violation,
$3,000 for a second violation, and
$5,000 for a third violation in the same year
(Includes the option for a hardship waiver).
Note that Administrative Citations would provide a more efficient method to penalize STR violations than the current enforcement practices available to Staff. An outside vendor, such as HDL, may be required to enforce TOT compliance, as they have the tools necessary to identify STR businesses. The proposed ordinance would include the ability to appeal decisions and include revocation options for permits being violated.
Short-Term Rental Facilitators (Platform) Provisions
The draft ordinance adopts a local mechanism invoking the Short-Term Rental Facilitator Act of 2025 (Gov. Code, § 50990 et seq.). STR facilitators include companies that advertise STRs online and by other means. Regulations include:
1. Requiring facilitators to have a Business Tax Certificate.
2. Provide information on STRs within the City in line with SB 346 requirements.
3. Remove unpermitted STR listings.
This would allow the City to audit the records of STR facilitators and potentially impose fines in line with SB 346.
6 Definitions
The definitions for both STRs and facilitators have been included in the ordinance. The former definition limits STRs to only single -family homes or rooms within a home. STRs cannot be operated in garages, accessory residential structures (ADUs, JADUs , guest homes, pool houses), vehicles, or vacant land. State law prohibits STRs (rentals 30 days or less) within ADUs currently. These definitions are in line with the definitions provided in SB 346 and reflect best practices to restrict STRs to the primary dwelling units.
Zoning Amendments (Title 9)
Table 2-2 of SVMC Section 9-24.030 will be modified to include STRs as a permitted use in residential zones where only single- family residences are allowed. STRs will not be permitted in zones where multi -family development is allowed, in order to avoid these being created in multiple -family structures or attached single- family dwellings. Title 9’s glossary is amended to define “short -term rental” consistent with occupancy of a single- family dwelling (or part thereof, excluding certain areas/structures) for 30 days or less .
The permitted use will be subject to standards and procedures laid out in Title 5 (Public Welfare) above.
Implementation Steps
Implementation of the STR regulations will require the following, once City Council has provided further guidance on how they wish Staff to proceed:
o Ordinance finalization by Staff and the City Attorney o Potentially presenting the ordinance to the Neighborhood Councils o C onducting a Planning Commission Public Hearing
o Public Hearing in front of the City Council for final approval o Preparation and adoption of Council resolutions related to permit fees and administrative fines for STR violations . Cost recovery for implementing and enforcing the ordinance would be a priority
o Administrative Services to work with an outside vendor for STR monitoring, TOT collection, etc. This could entail a contract amendment, RFP, and/or supplemental budget requests
o Information Services, in consultation with Environmental Services , to prepare a permitting system, utilizing Energov
o Environmental Services /Administrative Services to prepare additional documentation, guides, etc.
In addition to the above steps, which may take 6 to 8 months, depending on public feedback, there may be further City Council action required on fines, administrative citations, etc.
Findings
The proposed Zoning Text Amendment to permit STRs complies with the following findings, pursuant to SVMC 9-73.070:
7 A. The amendment is consistent with the purpose, intent, goals, policies, programs, and land use designations specified in the General Plan (Government Code Section 65860), in that the request is consistent with the following General Plan policies:
a. Policy HE 1.1 states: Provide a wide choice of new housing featuring a range of styles, types, densities, and amenities to accommodate the needs of all socioeconomic segments of the community; in that the proposed STR ordinance will allow for temporary housing to serve temporary and intermittent workforce needs, travel and tourism needs, and temporary housing or existing residents due to transitional housing needs. b. Policy ED-5.1 States: Increase the opportunities to attract tourism related to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum and highway - traveling visitors between Ventura and Los Angeles Counties through visitor-oriented economic development, including lodging, dining, shopping, and entertainment establishments, in that establishment of a STR program will support lodging options for visitors to Simi Valley and associated tourism activities tied to the City.
B. The City has considered the effect of this amendment on the housing needs of the region and has balanced these needs against the public service needs of its residents and against available fiscal and environmental resources, in compliance with State law (Governmen t Code Section 65863.6) , in that as stated in the above policies, temporary housing supports existing residents, temporary workers, and travelers/tourists. STRs fulfill these specialized housing needs without increasing environmental impacts due to the use of existing housing stock, and the permitting process would support fiscal impact to the City to help cover permitting and compliance.
Environmental Assessment
The proposed Municipal Code Amendments are not subject to additional environmental review under CEQA, because it is not a project within the meaning of section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines because it has no potential for resulting in physical change in the environment, either directly or ultimately. If this Ordinance is found to be a project under CEQA, it is subject to the CEQA exemption contained in CEQA Guidelines S ection 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty to have no possibility of a signi ficant effect on the environment.
Financial Impact
A proactive STR ordinance and TOT process may result in a net loss of $23,317 in the first year and net income of $7,123 in subsequent years.
8 Preparation of SVMC revisions will require staff time and City Attorney review fees. Minor revisions can be absorbed as routine business. The implementation of more comprehensive regulations on STRs may incur costs of up to $250,000 in the first year and $220,000 in subsequent years (based on assumptions), as indicated in the August 4, 2025, staff report. This would include staff time to prepare and implement the regulations, a permitting system, and the hiring of a STR vendor. A supplemental budget request will be included if an Ordinance to implement an STR program is adopted.
City Council Priority
This item supports three of the City’s Pillars of Excellence – Excellent City Government, Fiscal Stability, and Public Safety.
Suggested Motion
I move that the City Council direct staff to finalize an ordinance to regulate short -term rentals that incorporates SB 346, establishes service fees and fines, and includes the collection of Transient Occupancy Taxes , Business Taxes , and Tourism Marketing District assessments.
Summary
Over the last several years, “home- sharing” platforms have expanded the prevalence of STR activity. The City Council was provided with options for regulations on STRs on November 18, 2024, and August 4, 2025 (both in Attachment D). The City Council directed Staff on August 4, 2025, to return to the Council once a pending State law, SB 346, was approved, to determine what an ordinance should cover. Additionally, the Council directed Staff to make the necessary modifications to Title 3, Chapter 1 – Business Taxes, Chapter 5 – Taxes, and Chapter 7 – Tourism Marketing District, to allow for the collection of business t axes, TOT, and TMD a ssessments on STRs. It is recommended that the City Council provide direction to the Departments of Environmental Services and Administrative Services on preparing an ordinance to regulate short-term rentals, collection of Transient Occupancy Tax es, Business Taxes, and Tourism Marketing District assessments; establishment of service fees and fines; authorization to use consulting services for tracking and collection; and receive input from the Neighborhood Councils and Planning Commission.
Prepared by: Naren Gunasekera, Principal Planner/Zoning Administrator
Attachments
Attachment A – Draft Ordinance
Attachment B – Sample Nuisance Response Plan
Attachment C – Sample Good Neighbor Policy
Attachment D – November 18, 2024, and August 4, 2025, City Council Staff Reports
9 Attachment A
DRAFT ORDINANCE
ORDINANCE NO. ____
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SIMI VALLEY AMENDING TITLES 3, 5, 7 , AND 9 TO
REGULATE SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND THE
COLLECTION OF TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAXES
WHEREAS, the City of Simi Valley is authorized by Article XI, Section 7 of the California Constitution to make and enforce within its limits all local, police, sanitary, and other ordinances and regulations not in conflict with general laws; and WHEREAS, the City is committed to protecting the life, health, and safety of its residents and all people within the geographical boundaries of the City; and WHEREAS, the proliferation of unregulated short -term rentals has created conditions affecting neighborhood stability, residential character, noise, parking, and public safety, thereby requiring reasonable municipal oversight; and WHEREAS, the City currently lacks a comprehensive regulatory framework governing short-term rentals; and
WHEREAS, the City Council directed staff to prepare an ordinance to regulate short-term rentals to require business tax certificates for short-term rentals, and to collect Business Tax and Transient Occupancy Taxes, including Tourism Marketing District Taxes, in order to protect, the heath, safety, and welfare of the community, and to adopt clear standards to ensure responsible operation and mitigate adverse impacts; and.
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission, after duly noticing the matter in accordance with State law and the Simi Valley Municipal Code, conducted a public hearing on the proposed short -term rental ordinance, received and considered all testimony and evidence, and thereafter adopted a resolution recommending that the City Council approve the ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed the Planning Commission’s recommendation, the staff report, the administrative record, and all public testimony presented at its own duly noticed public hearing on the ordinance; and WHEREAS, enactment of this ordinance action does not constitute a “project” as defined by California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment; and
WHEREAS, all legal prerequisites to the adoption of the ordinance have occurred.
10 NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SIMI VALLEY DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Incorporation of Findings . The findings noted in the City Council staff report dated [DATE], and the recitals set forth above, are hereby adopted as findings.
SECTION 2. Environmental Assessment . The City Council finds and determines this Ordinance is not a project within the meaning of Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines because it has no potential for resulting in physical change in the environment, either directly or ultimately. In the event that this Ordinance is found to be a project under CEQA, it is subject to the CEQA exemption contained in CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty to have no possibility of a significant effect on the environment.
SECTION 3. Amendment of Title 3, Chapter 1 of the SVMC . Title 3 [Finance], Chapter 1 [Business Tax Certification] of the Simi Valley Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows, with new language and revised code sections shown as underlined text:
3-1.116 - Exemptions: Rentals.
The following rentals shall be exempt from the business tax provisions of this chapter:
(a) A person renting space as a boarding room in a single- family unit for a period of 31 days or longer, provided the unit is owner occupied; and/or (b) The rental of one dwelling unit, in whole or in part, for a period of 31 days or longer.
SECTION 4. Amendment of Title 3, Chapter 5 of the SVMC . Title 3 [Finance], Chapter 5 [Transient Occupancy Taxes] of the Simi Valley Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows, with new language and revised code sections shown as underlined text:
3-5.302 - Definitions.
For the purposes of this article, unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases used in this article are defined as follows:
(a) “ Hotel” shall mean any type of commercial establishment, or any portion of any type of commercial establishment, which provides for the occupancy of transients for dwelling, lodging, or sleeping purposes, whether by the day, week, or month, including, but not limited to, hotels, inns, motels , and any other transient lodging such as short-term rentals.
11 (b) “ Occupancy” shall mean the use or possession, or the right to the use or possession, of any room, or portion thereof, in any hotel for dwelling, lodging, or sleeping purposes.
(c) “ Operator” shall mean the person who manages the hotel, whether in the capacity of owner, lessee, sublessee, mortgagee in possession, licensee, or any other capacity.
(d) “ Person” shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, social club, fraternal organization, joint stock company, corporation, estate, trust, business trust, receiver, trustee, syndicate, or any other group or combination acting as a unit.
(e) “ Rent” shall mean the monetary value of the consideration charged for occupancy, including all receipts, cash, credits, property, and services of any kind or nature, without any deduction therefrom whatsoever. (f) “ Tax Collector” shall mean the Finance Director.
(g) “ Finance Director” shall mean the City Manager, City Clerk, or other officer designated by the City Manager to collect business taxes pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
(i) “ Transient” shall mean any person who exercises occupancy or is entitled to occupancy for a period of thirty (30) consecutive calendar days or less.
SECTION 5. Amendment of Title 3, Chapter 7 of the SVMC . Title 3 [Finance], Chapter 7 [Tourism Marketing District] of the Simi Valley Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows, with new language and revised code sections shown as underlined text, and deleted language shown as strikethrough text:
3-7.07 - Boundaries.
The renewed TMD includes all lodging businesses , including short-term rentals, existing and in the future, available for public occupancy located within the boundaries of the City as described in the Management District Plan. 3-7.08 - Assessments.
A. Each business in the benefit zone shall pay an assessment of two (2%) percent of gross short -term sleeping room rental revenue charged and received from transient hotel guests occupants who do not make the hotel lodging their principal place of residence. Based on the benefit received, assessments will not be collected on stays of more than thirty (30) consecutive days.
B. Any modification to the benefit zone or program of activities for which the assessments are to be levied would be subject to notification of all affected businesses within the TMD and a public hearing before the City Council. At 12 such public hearing, the City Council shall hear all protests and receive evidence, including written protests, for and against such modifications, including the inclusion of additional hotels or lodging businesses. assessments on newly established hotels lodging businesses shall commence immediately upon the first day of operation and after the public hearing for inclusion of such property.
C. The method of assessment established by this chapter shall not be changed without written notice to all businesses in the TMD and a public hearing held by the City Council. At such a public hearing, the City Council shall hear all protests and receive evidence, including written protests, for and against the establishment of any change in the method of assessment.
SECTION 6. Amendment of Title 5 of the SVMC . Chapter 46 [Short-Term Rentals] is hereby added to Title 5 of the Simi Valley Municipal Code to read in full as follows:
Chapter 46 - SHORT-TERM RENTALS
5-46.01 - Purpose and findings.
This chapter is adopted pursuant to the police powers of the City for the purpose of requiring the owner or owners of a residential dwelling unit that is used as a short-term rental, as defined herein, to apply for and secure a permit authorizing such use in the manner provided for by this chapter. The City seeks to facilitate short-term rentals while promoting responsible visitor and operator behavior and protecting the long-term residential character of its neighborhoods. 5-46.02 - Definitions.
“Department” means the Administrative Services Department, or his or her designee.
“Director” means the Administrative Services Director or designee. “Operate” means to rent, let, lease, advertise, facilitate, or otherwise make a short- term rental available for occupancy.
“Owner” means any person who owns or operates a short-term rental. “Permit” means a short-term rental permit issued under this chapter. “Person” means any natural person or legal entity, however formed, as well as any trustee, heir, executor, administrator, receiver, or assign, or any combination of such persons
“Short-term rental” means the occupancy of a single- family residence, or any portion of a single-family residence, for 30 consecutive calendar days or less, 13 counting any fraction of a day as a full day, in exchange for consideration, whether paid in money, goods, or services.
5-46.03 - Scope.
The provisions of this chapter apply to all short -term rentals. These provisions do not apply to hotels, motels, bed and breakfast inns , or similar transient lodging establishments.
5-46.04 - Authority to enforce chapter.
(a) The Director has the authority to administer and enforce this chapter , including reviewing applications for permits.
(b) The Director may adopt supplemental regulations or policies to implement and interpret this chapter. These regulations or policies must conform with the purpose of this chapter.
5-46.05 - Permit required.
No owner may rent, offer to rent, or advertise for rent a short-term rental to another person without a permit.
5-46.06 - Application procedure.
(a) Application Required. Any person seeking to obtain a permit to operate a short-term rental must submit a complete written application, signed under penalty of perjury, to the C ity using a form adopted by the C ity for that purpose. An application for a permit shall be filed and processed in compliance with this chapter.
(b) Application Fee. At the time of filing, each applicant must pay a nonrefundable application fee established by resolution of the City Council to defray the costs incurred by the C ity in the application process. The application and fee required under this section shall be in addition to any other license, permit, or fee required by any other section or chapter of this code.
(c) Application Insufficient to Operate. Submission of an application for a permit does not authorize the operation of a short-term rental unless and until a permit has been granted by the City.
(d) Application Contents. The City will not deem an application complete until all information and documents required under this chapter and any regulation or resolution adopted under this chapter have been provided to the City. At minimum, any applicant applying for a permit must submit the following information and documentation:
14 (1) The address of the short-term rental.
(2) A nuisance response plan containing the information required by this chapter.
(3) A transient occupancy registration certificate issued pursuant to Section 3-5.305 of this code.
(4) A written declaration affirming that, at least 30 days prior to issuance of the permit, occupants of all residences and businesses located within 200 feet from the proposed short -term rental have been notified of the proposed permit and have been informed in writing in a form acceptable to the City of the proposed use and the contact information with the City to seek additional information or register concerns or objections.
(5) Proof of liability insurance in an amount not less than $500,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage arising from or related to the short-term rental.
(6) Such other information or documentation as may be deemed necessary by the City.
5-46.07 - Application review and decision.
(a) Application Review. Upon receipt of a complete and signed written application, each application for a permit must be reviewed to ensure that the application is consistent with the requirements of this chapter . The Director may approve a permit application only if he or she finds that the applicant fulfills the requirements as set forth in this chapter . A permit application will not be processed while a City enforcement action alleging a violation of this chapter or any provision of this Code is pending as t o the subject property or the applicant, unless processing the application is required to resolve that enforcement action.
(b) Grounds for Denial. After the completion of the City's application review, the Director must deny the issuance of a permit if any of the following findings are made:
(1) The requirements of this chapter have not been satisfied, including if the applicant failed to submit a complete application, failed to submit any supplemental information or documentation upon request, or failed to pay the requisite application fee.
(2) The residential dwelling unit or area for rental proposed as a short - term rental was established as an accessory d welling unit, junior accessory d welling unit, guest house, pool house, recreational vehicle, or camping site.
15 (3) The applicant has made a false, misleading, or fraudulent statement or omission of fact to the city in the application, or in the permit application process.
(4) The short-term rental as applied for would be materially detrimental to the public health or safety, or would create or maintain a public nuisance, and that such impacts cannot be mitigated through reasonable permit conditions authorized by this chapter. (c) Decision. The Director must approve an application unless he or she determines grounds for denial exist. The Director must serve the applicant with a written decision stating whether the application is approved or denied.
The Director may approve the renewal application with conditions. In the event of denial, the notice must state the reasons for the denial and the right of the applicant to appeal the decision.
(d) Right to Appeal. An applicant may appeal the D irector's decision denying an application for a permit in accordance with the procedures set forth in this chapter. The D irector's decision is final if no written appeal is timely submitted to and received by the City.
(e) Limit on Reapplication. If the D irector denies the application, a new application may not be submitted for a period of one year. 5-46.08 - Permit restrictions.
(a) A permit is valid upon issuance until December 31 in the year in which it is first issued , and upon renewal , it is valid for a period of one year from January 1 through December 31 of each year, unless sooner suspended or revoked.
(b) A short-term rental permit may be issued only to the specific person listed on the application.
(c) A short -term rental permit may not be transferred from one person to another. A short-term rental permit does not run with the land. Any change to the organizational structure of the owner or any change of ownership of the short-term rental requires a new short-term rental permit. (d) A total of ____ permits will be issued for the City for each calendar year.
Additional requests will be placed on a wait list until a space opens up. 5-46.09 - Permit renewal.
(a) Renewal Application Requirements . No short -term rental permit shall be renewed automatically. A permittee may apply for renewal of a permit by submitting a written application, under penalty of perjury, to the D irector. It is the responsibility of the permittee to file an application to renew the permit at least 30 days before the expiration of the permit. Upon timely submission 16 of a renewal application, the permit will remain effective until the permit is approved for renewal or denied. Applications for renewal shall be in a form required by the Director and include updates of all information required or submitted for the permit. The applicant must pay a fee in an amount to be set by the city council to defray the costs of processing the renewal license application. No permit may be renewed unless all City taxes owed by the applicant are paid in full. A permit application will not be processed while a City enforcement action alleging a violation of this chapter or any provision of this Code is pending as to the subject property or the applicant, unless processing the application is required to resolve that enforcement action. (b) Decision on Renewal Application. The Director must review the application for renewal and approve or deny the application. The Director may approve the renewal application with conditions. The Director must serve the applicant with a written decision stating whether the application is approved or denied. In the event of denial, the notice must state the reasons for the denial and the right of the applicant to appeal the decision. 5-46.10 - Grounds for suspension, revocation, and nonrenewal of permit. (a) The Director may suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew any license issued under this chapter if he or she makes any findings necessary to deny a permit under Section 5-46.07.
(b) The permittee may appeal the D irector’s decision denying a renewal application, or suspending or revoking a permit , in accordance with the procedures set forth in this chapter.
(c) The Director must serve the permittee with a written notice of nonrenewal, suspension, or revocation. The notice must state the reasons for the action, the effective date of the decision, the right of the permittee to appeal the decision, and that the Director’s decision will be final if no written appeal is timely submitted to and received by the City. Suspension or revocation is effective 15 calendar days following the date of service of the notice. (d) If the Director revokes a permit, a new application may not be submitted for a period of two years.
5-46.11 - Appeals.
Any appeal right provided for in this chapter must be conducted as set forth in this section.
(a) An applicant or licensee may appeal a Director’s decision to deny, suspend, revoke, or not renew a permit by filing a written notice of appeal with the City Clerk within 15 calendar days after service of the notice of decision.
The appeal must be accompanied by the appeal fee established by City Council resolution.
17 (b) The notice of appeal must be signed by the appellant and must include: (a) the appellant’s name, address, and telephone number; (b) a copy of the notice of decision being appealed; (c) a concise statement of the grounds for appeal and the relief requested; and (d) any documents or other evidence the appellant requests the hearing officer to consider. (c) A timely and complete appeal stays the Director’s decision until issuance of the hearing officer’s final decision. If no timely and proper appeal is filed, the Director’s decision becomes final and effective upon expiration of the appeal period, and the appellant waives further administrative remedies. (d) The appeal must be heard by an independent hearing officer selected by the City Manager or his or her designee in a manner that avoids pecuniary or other bias.
(e) The City Clerk shall set the matter for a de novo hearing. The hearing must be held within a reasonable time as soon as practicable after the appeal is filed, and the City must provide the appellant at least 10 calendar days ’ notice of the hearing date, time, and location.
(f) The City bears the burden to prove the grounds for the challenged action by a preponderance of the evidence; the notice of decision constitutes prima facie evidence of the stated grounds.
(g) The appellant may present witnesses and evidence . The hearing is informal; the formal rules of evidence do not apply, but privileges apply as provided by law, and irrelevant, collateral, or repetitious evidence may be excluded by the hearing officer.
(h) The hearing officer must issue a written decision within 15 calendar days after the close of the hearing.
(i) If the hearing officer finds no grounds to uphold the decision, the decision is rescinded. If the hearing officer finds one or more grounds, the decision shall identify the grounds and uphold the Director’s decision. The hearing officer’s decision is final and shall state: “The decision of the hearing officer is final. Judicial review of this decision is subject to the time limits set forth in California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.6.”
5-46.12 - Permitted occupancy.
Every permit issued by the City must specify the maximum number of overnight occupants allowed at the short -term rental and the maximum number of vehicles associated with the overnight occupancy of the short-term rental, which can be parked at the property.
18 5-46.13 - Nuisance response plans.
(a) Each nuisance response plan accompanying an application for a permit must contain the following information and otherwise be in a form required by the City:
(1) The mailing address and telephone number of the owner or owners of the residential dwelling unit or units to be used as a short -term rental pursuant to the permit.
(2) The name, address and telephone number of the person or persons who will be available by telephone, and who will be responsible for promptly responding to or causing a prompt response to a nuisance complaint arising out of the occupancy or use of the short -term rental(s) by tenants, their visitors and/or their guests. For the purposes of this chapter, a return telephone call to a complainant within 30 minutes of the initial complaint shall be deemed “prompt.” (3) No more than a total of three persons shall be designated in the response plan as a person responsible for responding to or causing a response to a nuisance complaint; and
(4) Only one such person shall be designated as the person responsible for responding to a nuisance complaint during any particular hours of the day, different days in a week, and/or different weeks of the year.
(5) The manner of responding to or causing a response to a nuisance complaint, including, but not limited to, the manner in which the complainant or complainants will be notified of the response and the method of documenting prompt responses and timely correct ive action.
(6) The manner of assuring timely corrective action to remedy the conditions that caused the nuisance complaint. For the purposes of this chapter, “timely corrective action” shall include, at a minimum, a telephone call to the primary adult occupant of the short -term rental within 30 minutes of the initial nuisance complaint.
(7) The proposed maximum number of overnight occupants, with supporting documentation identifying unusual size, interior layout, or other physical characteristics, if any, that support a request for occupancy greater than two persons per bedroom.
(8) The number of off -street parking spaces and number of bedrooms available at the short-term rental.
(b) At any time, an owner of a short-term rental may change the content of the nuisance response plan approved incident to the issuance of the permit by 19 filing an amended response plan with the City. Such amended response plan shall contain all of the information and be in the form required by this section and shall be accompanied by the required fee in an amount established by City Council resolution.
5-46.14 - Notice of nuisance response plans.
Promptly following the approval and issuance of a permit required by this chapter, or the approval of an amended nuisance response plan in the manner provided for by this chapter, the permittee must provide proof to the City that the nuisance response plan/ Good Neighbor Guidelines has been mailed by first class mail addressed to the owner or occupant of every property, any part of which is located within a 200-foot radius of the property that is to be used and occupied as a short- term rental, pursuant to such permit.
5-46.15 - Performance standards.
Each owner, and each tenant or occupant of a short-term rental, must at all times comply with or cause compliance with the performance standards applicable to short-term rentals they own, lease or occupy, as established by this section. (a) The owner shall ensure that the short -term rental complies with all current applicable codes regarding fire, building and safety, and all other relevant laws and ordinances.
(b) No person may list, offer to rent, or advertise for rent a short -term rental without including in the listing, offer, or advertisement the City permit number applicable to the short-term rental property in the form “City of Simi Valley Permit No. ____ .” The permit number must be displayed or printed in the same size type as the largest type used in the main body of the offer or advertisement.
(c) The owner must require the primary overnight and daytime occupant of the short-term rental to be an adult 18 years of age or older. This adult must provide a telephone number to the owner and must be accessible to the owner by telephone at all times.
(d) If the property is located within a homeowners association, provide a letter of authorization.
(e) The permittee must maintain liability insurance in an amount not less than $500,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage arising from or related to the short-term rental.
(f) Prior to occupancy, the owner must obtain the name, address, and driver’s license number or a copy of the passport of the primary adult occupant of the short-term rental. The owner must require that the adult sign a formal acknowledgement that he or she is legally responsible for the compliance of all occupants of the short-term rental or their guests with all provisions of 20 this chapter. This information shall be provided by the responsible party identified in the nuisance response plan upon request of any police officer or employee of the City authorized to enforce this chapter or State law. (g) The owner must limit overnight occupancy of the short -term rental to a specific number of occupants, with the maximum number of overnight occupants being two persons per bedroom, unless a request for occupancy greater than two persons per bedroom has been approved through the permit process with supporting documentation identifying unusual size, interior layout, or other physical characteristics, that supports the request (h) The owner shall limit the number of vehicles associated with the overnight occupancy of the short-term rental to a specific number of vehicles, with the maximum number of vehicles being the number of off-street parking spaces available at the property. In no case shall the number of uncovered, off - street parking spaces be less than one space. Such spaces must be exclusively reserved for the short-term rental during occupied stays. (i) Trash and refuse shall not be left stored within public view, except in proper containers for the purpose of collection on scheduled trash collection days.
The owner of the short -term rental shall provide sufficient trash collection containers and service to meet the demand of the occupants. (j) Each lease or rental agreement for a short -term rental shall include the following terms, notifications and disclosures, which terms shall also be posted in a conspicuous location inside the unit:
(1) The maximum number of overnight occupants and day use visitors that are permitted.
(2) The maximum number of vehicles that overnight occupants may park at the short-term rental.
(3) Notification that on-street parking is extremely limited in some areas of the City.
(4) The trash pick-up day and applicable rules and regulations pertaining to leaving or storing trash or refuse on the exterior of the property. (5) Notification that the occupant may be cited or fined by the City and/or immediately evicted by the owner pursuant to State law, in addition to any other remedies available at law, for violating any other provisions of this chapter.
(6) Notification that failure to conform to the occupancy requirements of the short-term rental is a violation of this chapter.
21 (7) Notification that amplified sound, including radios, televisions and other electronic devices, is subject to the City’s Noise Ordinance as set forth in City of Simi Valley Municipal Code Chapter 5-16. (8) A prohibition on illegal loud parties, along with notification of the City’s right to recover the costs of special enforcement needed to address certain loud parties.
(9) The name of the managing agency, agent, rental manager, local contact person, or owner of the unit, and a telephone number at which that party may be reached at all times.
(10) A copy of the “Good Neighbor Guidelines ,” which may from time to time be prepared by the City. These guidelines may include location- specific information, such as but not limited to neighborhood quiet hours, local speed limits, prohibition of wood- burning fire pits, or homeowners association policies.
(11) Notification that the property is subject to the City of Simi Valley’s Short-Term Rental Permit and Transient Occupancy Tax Programs. (12) A copy of this chapter of the City of Simi Valley Municipal Code, as it may be amended from time to time.
(k) Upon receipt of a nuisance complaint or upon notification of an allegation that any occupant or guest of the short -term rental has created unreasonable noise or disturbances, engaged in disorderly conduct, or committed violations of the City of Simi Valley Municipal Code or any State law, the owner shall promptly respond and take timely corrective action to prevent a recurrence of such conduct by those occupants or guests. Failure of the owner to respond promptly or to take timely corrective action regarding the condition, operation, or conduct of occupants of the short - term rental shall be a violation of this chapter. An owner is not required or authorized to act as a peace officer or to intervene in situations that pose a risk to personal safety. The owner, or his or her agent, shall maintain records of the name, violation, date, and time of each complaint, disturbance, response and corrective action.
(l) The owner shall cause a copy of the nuisance response plan to be posted in a conspicuous place within the property.
(m) The owner shall annually provide to the City written confirmation of compliance with all elements of the performance standards and the approved nuisance response plan and confirming that the nuisance response plan is current and accurate. The performance standards may be modified by the City upon request of the owner based upon site- specific circumstances for the purpose of allowing reasonable accommodation of a short-term rental occupant as may be required by State or Federal disability laws. All requests must be in writing and shall identify how the strict 22 application of the standard conditions creates an unreasonable hardship to a property such that, if the requirement is not modified, reasonable use of the property for a short-term rental would not be allowed. (n) By the 15th day of each month, the permittee shall submit to the Director , in the form and manner required by the Director, a report for the preceding month stating (1) the total number of nights the short-term rental was rented (including nights booked through any hosting platform) and the nightly rate(s) charged, and (2) the amount of T ransient Occupancy Tax due for those rentals.
(o) The permittee must install and maintain in continuous operation a n oise monitor on the exterior of the s hort-term rental to ensure compliance with SVMC chapter 5-16. The noise monitor shall be a sound level meter meeting the standards of the American National Standards Specifications for Sound Level Meters or another acoustical or decibel measurement device with similar capabilities and features that does not have a camera, record conversations, or store any personal data.
(p) The use of the property is restricted to registered guests . Any event requiring paid admission is prohibited. Any activities, such as parties, gatherings, or other group events with non- registered guests , are prohibited.
5-46.16 - Permittee responsibility.
The permittee is responsible at all times for ensuring that the short -term rental is operated in compliance with this chapter, all other applicable provisions of this Code and State law, the Good Neighbor Guidelines, the approved n uisance response plan, and any rules or regulations adopted to implement this chapter. For purposes of enforcement, any act, omission, or failure by the permittee’s agent, officer, representative, contractor, guest, occupant, or any other person acting on the permittee’s behalf or with the permittee’s permission shall be attributed to the permittee.
5-46.17 - Cessation of use of a property as short-term rental.
Where a permittee determines to cease use of a permit, the owner must promptly cause a notice of such determination to be filed with the City. 5-46.18 - Short-term rental facilitator responsibilities. (a) Pursuant to Government Code S ection 50990(b), the City hereby adopts and makes applicable within the City’s jurisdictional boundaries the Short - Term Rental Facilitator Act of 2025 (Gov. Code, § 50990 et seq.). The definitions set forth in Government Code Section 50991 are incorporated by this reference and shall apply to this section.
23 (b) Upon request by the City, each short -term rental facilitator shall report, in the form and manner prescribed by the City, the physical address, including nine-digit ZIP Code, of each short-term rental during the reporting period. (c) If the information provided under S ubsection B is not sufficient for the City to identify a specific short-term rental at the provided address, the City may request (1) the assessor parcel number of the short-term rental and (2) the URL associated with the specific short-term rental listing. (d) A short-term rental facilitator shall include in the listing of a short-term rental any applicable local permit or license number associated with the short-term rental and any transient occupancy tax certification issued by the City. (e) A short -term rental facilitator must have a current, valid Business Tax Certificate from the City to facilitate any booking for a short -term rental within the City.
(f) A short-term rental facilitator’s failure to report the information required by this section may result in imposition of a civil penalty under Title, 1, Chapter 8 of this code.
5-46.19 - Service requirements.
Except as otherwise provided or agreed, any notice required to be served by the City under this chapter must be completed by either by personal service by first- class mail. Service by mail is deemed complete at the time of deposit in the mail. 5-46.20 - Enforcement.
(a) Violation Unlawful. It is unlawful and declared a public nuisance for any person to violate any provision of this chapter.
(b) Criminal and Administrative Penalties. Any person who violates any provision of this chapter may be criminally or administratively punished as set forth in Title 1 of this code.
(c) Civil or Equitable Enforcement. T he City Attorney is authorized to bring a civil or equitable action, at his or her discretion, to seek the abatement of any violation of this code.
(d) Ongoing Violations. Each and every day a violation is maintained, caused, aided, abetted, concealed, suffered, or permitted is a separate offense. (e) Remedies Cumulative. The remedies, procedures, and penalties provided by this chapter are cumulative to each other and to any other available under City, state, or federal law.
24 SECTION 7. Amendment of Title 9, Chapter 9-24 of the SVMC. Chapter 9- 24 [Residential and Open Space Zoning Districts ] of Title 9 of the Simi Valley Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows, solely to add the following new land use classification and related Note, shown as underlined text . The City Clerk and Code Publisher are directed to insert the following row in Table 2-2 under the heading “RETAIL & SERVICE USES,” immediately after the row titled “ Medical Services - Hospitals,” with all other provisions of 9-24.030 and Table 2-2 remaining unchanged:
9-24.030 - Residential and Open Space District Land Uses and Permit Requirements TABLE 2-2
Allowed Uses and Permit Requirements for
Residential and Open Space Zoning Districts
P Permitted Use (2)
CUP Conditional Use Permit required
HP Home Occupation Permit required
— Use not allowed
LAND USE (1) PERMIT REQUIRED BY DISTRICT Specific
Use
Regulations OS RE RVL RL RM RMod RH RVH MH
RETAIL & SERVICE USES
Short-Term
Rentals
P P P P P P(7) — — — 5-46
Notes:
(1) See Article 8 for land use definitions. All commercial nonmedicinal or medicinal cannabis, and industrial hemp uses, operations, and activities, including collectives and cooperatives, are prohibited (refer to Chapter 5-41 for Medicinal and Medicinal Cannabis Standards).
(2) A Planned Development Permit (Section 9- 52.050) is also required for all new development.
(3) Administrative Conditional Use Permit required.
(4) CUP not required for farm animals in A, L or H Overlay Zones. (5) Wireless Telecommunications Facilities shall not be subject to the CUP requirement for Telecommunications Facilities, as set forth in the above Table, and instead shall be subject to the permit requirements of Chapter 35 of Title 5 of the Simi Valley Municipal Code.
(6) See Section 9- 44.220 Residential Accessory Structures for additional development standards.
(7) Excluding multi-family dwellings.
SECTION 8. Amendment of Title 9 , Chapter 9- 80 of the SVMC . Chapter 9- 80 [Definitions/Glossary] of Title 9 of the Simi Valley Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows, solely to add the following new definition, shown as underlined text. The City Clerk and Code Publisher are directed to insert the following definition in appropriate alphabetical order under the subsection S. , with all other provisions of Section 9-80.020 remaining unchanged:
25 9-80.020 - Definitions of Specialized Terms and Phrases As used in this Development Code, the following terms and phrases shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this Section, unless the context in which they are used clearly requires otherwise.
* * *
S. Definitions, “S.”
* * *
Short-term rental. The occupancy of a Single- Family Dwelling, or part thereof, excluding garages, unconditioned storage areas, accessory residential structures, vacant land and/or temporary structures, that is not a lodging hotel or motel, for a period of 30 consecutive days or less.
SECTION 9. Severability. If any part of this ordinance or its application is deemed invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the City Council intends that such invalidity will not affect the effectiveness of the remaining provision or application, and, to this end, the provisions of this ordinance are severable.
SECTION 10. Electronic Signatures . This Ordinance may be executed with electronic signatures in accordance with Government Code S ection 16.5.
Such electronic signatures will be treated in all respects as having the same effect as an original signature.
SECTION 11. The City Clerk shall cause this ordinance or a summary hereof to be published in a newspaper of general circulation, published in the County of Ventura and circulated in the City, and if applicable, to be posted, in accordance with Section 36933 of the California Government Code; shall certify to the adoption of this ordinance and shall cause a certified copy of this ordinance, together with proof of publication, to be filed in the Office of the Clerk of this City.
SECTION 12. This ordinance shall go into effect and be in full force and effect at 12:01 a.m. on the thirty-first (31st) day after its passage.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this ______ day of ______________, 2025.
26 Attest:
Lucy Blanco, City Clerk Dee Dee Cavanaugh, Mayor of the City of Simi Valley, California
Approved as to Form: Approved as to Content:
Algeria R. Ford, City Attorney Samantha C. Argabrite, City Manager
Stratis Perros
Environmental Services Director
Carolyn Johnson
Administrative Services Director
27 1 PROPERTY ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP CODE
2 OWNER NAME (IF MORE THAN TWO, USE AN ADDITIONAL SHEET OF PAPER) 3 PHONE 4 MAILING ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP CODE
5 OPTIONAL SECOND OWNER NAME 6 PHONE
7 MAILING ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP CODE
NUISANCE COMPLAINT CONTACTS:
CONTACT NO. 1
8 DAY/TIME DESIGNATION r 24 HOURS PER DAY, 7 DAYS PER WEEK OR:
TH F SA
9 CONTACT NAME
10 CONTACT ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP CODE
11 PHONE 1 12 PHONE 2
CONTACT NO. 2
13 DAY/TIME DESIGNATION r 24 HOURS PER DAY, 7 DAYS PER WEEK OR:
TH F SA
14 CONTACT NAME
15 CONTACT ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP CODE
16 PHONE 1 17 PHONE 2
CONTACT NO. 3
18 DAY/TIME DESIGNATION r 24 HOURS PER DAY, 7 DAYS PER WEEK OR:
TH F SA
19 CONTACT NAME
20 CONTACT ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP CODE
21 PHONE 1 22 PHONE 2
The following person(s) will be available by telephone, and will be responsible for promptly responding to a nuisance complaint arising out of the occupancy of the short term rentals by tenants, their visitors and/or guests. A return telephone call to a complainant within thirty (30) minutes of the initial complaint shall be deemed "prompt."
SU M TU W
SU M TU W
City of Goleta
Nuisance Response Plan
130 Cremona Drive, Suite B • Goleta, CA 93117
TU WSU M
In accordance with Goleta Municipal Code Sec. 5.08.060 the following nuisance response plan is submitted. A letter has been mailed to the occupant and/or owner of properties located within a 200-foot radius of the vacation rental advising of its use. A copy of this Nuisance Response Plan will be placed on the city's Internet web site for public access.
No more than a total of THREE persons can be designated and only ONE can be designated during any particular period of time.
THERE MUST BE A DESIGNATED CONTACT PERSON 24 HOURS PER DAY, 7 DAYS PER WEEK. BELOW IS THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE DAYS AND TIMES OF EACH DAY.
Attachment B
28 Ventura County Temporary Rental Unit
Program
Good Neighbor Guidelines
The County of Ventura is pleased to welcome you as a temporary rental unit guest. We hope you enjoy your stay here.
As a TRU guest, we ask that you be respectful of the long-term residents that live in this neighborhood year-round by complying with the requirements below.
For a complete list or requirements for TRU guests, Please see the County’s Temporary Rental Unit ordinance, for our coastal region Ordinance Sec 8175-5.21.8 / Non-coastal region ordinance Sec. 8109-4.6.8
You, and your visitors, must comply with the following:
• Keep the number of overnight occupants and day -use visitors within the permitted maximum.
• Park on in spaces assigned to your unit and obey posted parking signs. • Please obey all speed limits and watch for children.
• Place trash in appropriate containers. Avoid overfilling and follow applicable rules for storing refuse containers on the exterior of the property. • Comply with the County’s Noise ordinance, VCNCZO Sec 8109 -4.6.8.3 / VCCZO Sec. 8175-5.21.8.3- No use or activity associat ed with a homeshare or short - term rental shall at anytime create unreasonable noise or disturbance. Quiet hours shall be observed from 10:00 pm and 7:00 am.
Attachment C
29 CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
MEMORANDUM
August 4,
2025
TO: City Co
uncil
FROM: D
epartment of Environmental Services
SUBJECT: REQUEST FO R DIRECTION ON AMENDMENTS TO THE SIMI VALLEY
MUNICIPAL CODE TO REGULATE SHORT-TERM RENT ALS
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council provide direction on short-term residential rental regulations.
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
On October 21, 2024, the City Council directed staff to provide options to the City Council for regulations on Sh ort-Term Rentals (STR) within the City of Simi Valley following resident requests for the City Council to regulate STRs. On November 18, 2024, staff presented initial findings on STRs (Refer to Exhibit 1, page 10).
Following a discussion,
the City Council directed staff to provide further research on surrounding jurisdictions’ STR policies and ordinances , and the costs and benefits of STRs
. Short-term rentals (also referred to as “STRs,” “vacation rentals,” “short-t erm vacation rentals,” or “transient rentals”) are private residences rented in whole or in part, for fewer than 30-d ays. Platforms like Airbnb, HomeToGo, and VRBO list these rentals.
Three vendors
were consulted regarding STR enforcement and taxation for the City of Simi Valley. Findings indicate there are approximately 100 STR listings in the City, with an average
nightly rate up to $200. For comparison, there are
approximately 300 registered STRs in Ventura City and approximately 70 in Oxnard.
Over the past few years, STR-r elated complaints
have been minimal, with the
most significant involving an STR operating as an event venue with major unpermitted property modifications. More recently, following the last City Council item (Exhibit 1), staff have received three to four phone inquiries with requests to ban STRs in the City.
Staff is providing this report and requesting direction on whether the City s hould initiate Municipal Code Amendments and/or policy updates to establish specific standards for STRs.
FINDINGS AND ALTERNATIVES
Staff conducted additional r esearch to summarize regulations on STRs within Ventura County (Refer to Table 1).
AGENDA ITEM NO.
9A
Attachment D
30 Tab
le 1 – STR Rules in Ventura County
Jurisdiction Ordinance
Status
Regulation Summary
City of Ventura Allowed Active STR Permit, business license required, Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) collected
County of
Ventura
Allowed Active Temporary Rental Units (TRU) Permit,
business license required, TOT collected
Oxnard Allowed Active STR Permit, business license required, TOT collected
Port Hueneme Allowed without
Ordinance
Business license required, TOT collected
Thousand
Oaks
No Ordinance STRs not regulated
Moorpark Banned STRs not permitted
Camarillo Banned STRs not permitted
Ojai Banned STRs not permitted, Homeshares are allowed
with annual Zoning Clearance
Jurisdiction Rationales:
The f
ollowing rationales were identified for allowing STRs:
• Contribution to local tourism and economic growth (Ventura County). • Maintains a balance between tourism and residential stability (Oxnard) by allowing flexible lodging options, while imposing regulations that limit neighborhood disruption.
• Regulation reduces enforcement challenges associated with non- complaint STR operators (Oxnard, County of Ventura).
• Addresses community concerns over parking congestion and neighborhood congestion (Oxnard, Ventura County).
• Ensure TOT collection (Ventura County).
• STRs provide homeowners with additional income opportunities, which can help offset housing costs (Ventura County).
The f
ollowing rationales were identified for banning STRs:
• Prevents detrimental impact on neighborhoods ( noise, traffic, and public safety concerns from STRs) and preserves neighborhood character (Moorpark). • Prevents loss of long-term rental and affordable housing options. Maximizing the availability of affordable housing options by ensuring that no long- term rental properties are converted into short-term rentals (Moorpark and Ojai). • Protect the health, safety , and welfare of the temporary rental units’ renters, occupants, neighboring residents, as well as the general public and environment (Ojai).
31 Bel
ow is a breakdown of potential advantages and disadvantages of STRs:
Potential Advantages of Short-Term Rentals:
1. Tax Revenues for the City . STRs have the potential to generate new transient occupancy tax (TOT) and sales tax revenue, captured from spending when visitors stay in Simi Valley instead of a neighboring jurisdiction. If regulated, the City could collect the TOT, Business Tax Certificate fees, and registration fees.
2. Supplemental Income for Homeowners. Renting out a home or portion of a home (room rental) for business, leisure, or temporary housing can generate new revenue for homeowners, recover their investments, make a profit, or subsidize day-to-day expenses.
3. Increase in Simi Valley Visitors . In 2024, Simi Valley’s hotels averaged 72.5% occupancy for the full calendar year, which outperformed most of Ventura County average stays for the year. STRs provide an alternative lodging option to hotels in the City and provide lodging options locally rather than compelling visitors to stay outside of the City. This would help increase TOT revenues (refer to Exhibit 1).
4. Support Local Businesses. Requiring STRs to collect and pay TOT the same way hotels are required to would level the playing field between the two types of lodging. Refer to the Fiscal Impacts section for more information. In addition, when visitors stay in Simi Valley instead of neighboring jurisdictions, visitors are more likely to frequent nearby businesses, including retail stores and restaurants.
Potential Disadvantages of Short-Term Rentals:
1. Potential Loss of Housing Stock for Residents and Workforce. While most of the existing STRs are room rentals, they shift how homes are used; units removed from the permanent housing market and used for short -term rentals may reduce long-term rental options for the community. A reduced housing stock results in increased rental prices for permanent housing and has the potential to affect the City’s workforce, who will then reside outside of Simi Valley with longer commutes into the city.
2. Impacts to Existing Hotels . Unregulated STRs can impact existing hotels by increasing competition and lowering hotel occupancy rates, hotel revenues , transient occupancy, and tourism taxes to the City. Simi Valley’s hotels currently pay into the Visit Simi Valley Tourism Assessment, which is not currently collected for STRs. Hotels also create employment opportunities for City residents and related sales tax revenue whereas STRs do not create employment opportunities.
3. Neighbor Complaints . Tenant turnover and noise may lead to neighborhood complaints. STRs have the potential to cause public nuisance as a result of loud parties and gatherings , violating the City’s N oise Ordinance (SVMC 5 -33.03), requiring additional enforcement from the City (Refer to Enforcement Impacts below).
32 4. Potential Deterioration of Residences/Neighborhoods. Without the oversight or presence of a property manager/owner on site or close by, consistent turnover of STR renters may cause a decline in a home’s condition. Other concerns include:
increased traffic in neighborhoods; noise; and additional trash generated from short-term renters.
Potential Ordinance and Policy Implementations
If
the City Council wants to adopt a new STR Ordinance, staff recommends that the Ordinance include the following best practices and elements:
1. Good
Neighbor Policy. Some cities with a n STR Ordinance require adherence to a “Good Neighbor Policy” to ensure STRs do not disturb neighborhoods. The policy would be posted in the STR and made available on the city website. Some components of the policy include:
• No parking on streets or on yards. STR units must have adequate parking arrangements utilizing either the garage and/or driveway for guests to prevent congestion.
• Adherence to quiet hours and noise limitations, reflecting the Noise Ordinance. • Immediate response from STR operator to complaints from neighbors or City officials.
• Proper trash disposal and recycling practices.
• No events or parties.
2. One-t
ime or Annual Permit fees . In order to ensure ongoing compliance with the SVMC, a STR O rdinance could require a permit fee to cover processing and inspection costs, and potential renewal fees for annual reviews or inspections.
3. TO
T Collection and Annual Business Taxation. Owners would be required to pay into the City’s transit occupancy taxes (with a concurrent amendment to the City’s TOT Ordinance) and participate in the City’s Tourism Business Improvement District. In addition, Owners would be required to obtain a business tax certificate, which would be collected annually.
4. Fi
nes and Citations. The City Council could establish minor and major violations of the STR code, with potential permit revocation and escalating fines for noncompliant STR owners . Examples of fines from nearby jurisdictions are in Table 2 below.
5. Cons
tituent Portal. Creation of a city webpage to list registered and permitted STRs, to provide the community with transparency on registered STRs, contact information, and complaint forms.
33 Tab
le 2: STR Fines from Other Jurisdictions
Jurisdiction Fine
Ojai • $1,500 for first violation, $3,000 for second violation within one year of first violation, and $5,000 fine for each
additional violation within one year of first violation, in addition to administrative costs and interest.
• Forfeiture of rents and other gross revenue unlawfully received during the period of violation.
Ventura
County
• Violations of regulations are punishable as a
misdemeanor/infraction criminal offense.
• County may impose civil administrative penalties of up to $1,000/day for confirmed violations.
• County maintains an online public complaint process,
which is monitored and, as appropriate, investigated by Code Compliance staff.
Big Bear
Lake
• $500/violation; second offense is $1,000/violation.
La Quinta • Fines range from $1,000-$5,000/violation.
STR Program Management
Sta
ff met with three vendors that help local governments manage STR compliance and enforcement. See Table 3 for a comparison among the companies, including the costs and services associated with administering STR programs. The vendors track STRs, support registration and permitting of STR owners/operators, collect taxes, and offer compliance campaigns to enforce illegal STR operations.
Dec
kard Technologies and Granicus offer 24- hour hotlines, for constituent complaints.
Deckard also offers a Constituent Portal to access permitted and registered STR information.
Th
e City is currently partnered with HdL for the administration of its Business Tax Certificates.
34 Tab
le 3: STR Vendor Comparison
Deckard
Technology
HdL Granicus
Base Cost $5,000/year $12,750/year + CPI +
price per account
Modular, varies by
service
Setup Fees None $5,000 Up to $14,000 for
all set up services
Address
Identification
Included Included $7,600/year
Compliance
Monitoring
Included Included $3,200/year
Rental Activity Included Included $2,800/year
Permitting and
Registration
Optional
$5,000/year
Optional
$25/account/year +
CPI
$3,500/year +
setup fees from
$3,660 to $7,000
Tax Payment
Portal (TOT)
Optional
$5,000/year
$18/account/year +
CPI
$3,500/year +
setup fees from
$3,660 to $7,000
Compliance Letter
Campaign
Optional
$1,500/year
Included Included with the
Compliance
module
24-hour Hotline &
Online Complaint
Form
Optional
$3,500/year
Not Recommended $2,500/year
Total Year One
Cost assuming
purchase of all
services/modules
$20,000/year $20,760*/year
(assuming 70 STRs)
$33,760/year to
$37,100/year
*Per conversations with vendors, 20 – 40% of STRs typically drop out after program initiation (due to reluctance to obtain a business license or collect TOT). Staff is using 30% drop off rate as an estimate.
SB 346: Short Term Rental Facilitator
In M
ay 2025, SB 346 passed the Senate and has been with the Assembly since May 2025, but has not yet been reviewed and voted on. This bill would authorize cities and counties to enact ordinances requiring online platforms, such as Airbnb and VRBO, to provide reports on short-term rental s to the City. The bill would allow a jurisdiction to impose a fine or penalty for failure to file a STR, and would allow the jurisdiction to initiate an audit of online platforms. A decision on the bill will likely be made in September 2025.
Shoul
d this bill pass , and a City ordinance be adopted , the City may not need all the services provided by a third-party vendor, such as address identification, compliance monitoring, and rental activity. Should the City move forward without an ordinance, but still collect taxes, this would result in cost savings , and the City could continue working with HdL on tax collections only. This has the potential to reduce the associated third - party vendor costs.
35 Fiscal Impacts
To i
mplement a STR Program, third-party vendor costs of $20,000 to $37,100 per year would be incurred to track and issue permits . Additionally, the City would incur approximately $254,000 in annual costs to administer and enforce the program. This cost includes salaries and benefits for new and/or reallocated staff, including one full-time Code Compliance Officer. While the City would generate approximately $230,000 from tax revenue (for 70 STR listings) , the City would be subsidizing a STR program at approximately $23,500 the first year. To cover costs and potentially generate revenue, the City would need to consider a minimum STR permit fee of approximately $1,350. The permit revenues in Table 4 are based on a permit fee of $936, which is the average fee of seven other jurisdictions with STR programs. For reference, a minor Zoning Clearance currently costs $120.37. Additional expenses can be anticipated with ongoing staff time with permitting/ consultant contract review, and one-time staff time and consultant services in preparing a STR Ordinance and related SVMC code amendments.
Tab
le 4: Estimated Revenues and Costs with a STR Ordinance Year 1 Year 2
Estimated Permit Revenue* $65,520 $65,520
Business Tax Revenue $8,060 $8,060
Gross Receipts Tax Revenue $2,450 $2,450
Estimated TOT Revenue $152,233 $152,233
Fines $2,360 $2,360
Total Estimated Revenue $230,623 $230,623
STR Vendor $37,000 $32,000
City Attorney $19,000 $19,000
Planning $42,400 $16,960
Code Enforcement $139,040 $139,040
Police Department $16,500 $16,500
Total Estimated Cost $ 253,940 $223,500
NET INCOME $-23,317 $7,123
* This is based on a permit fee of $936.
The
estimated permit revenues are based on 70 registered STRs. The City ’s costs are based on:
• ¼ of a Senior Planner’s time or Planning Consultant preparing the code (one time cost), reviewing applications, updating the website with STR address information, and coordinating with other Staff on enforcement issues. Staff anticipates that this could drop in year 2 and beyond to approximately 10%.
• 10% of the City Attorney’s time.
• A full-time Code Enforcement Officer.
• 10% of a Police Officer’s time.
Code
enforcement costs assumes one extreme case of enforcement every two years (i.e. a case with City Attorney involvement) and one moderate case with multiple attempts to bring an owner into compliance with involvement from Code Enforcement staff only. 36 Enforcement Impacts/Banning STRs
Enf
orcement of SVMC violations is permitted with or without amendments addressing STRs. Presently, any SVMC violation such as noise, parking, and property maintenance is addressed under current citywide procedures, whether the home is being rented as an STR, traditionally rented, vacant, or owner-occupied. Lack of an STR Ordinance does not preclude enforcement of these items.
If th
e City Council decides to explicitly ban STRs, staff will need to identify existing STRs and initiate enforcement on them. The cost for this would most likely be the highest in the first year to remove existing STRs and then ongoing costs after that to prevent new STRs from being created. An external vendor would be required to identify the STRs and Code Enforcement and City Attorney staff time will be required to enforce on the m. Vendor costs would range up to $37,000 for the first year and up to $32, 000 per year for subsequent years in order to identify addresses for STRs . Staff time could range from $217,000 for the first year to remove existing STRs to $191,500 per year for subsequent years for continuing enforcement.
The f
ollowing alternatives are available to the City Council:
1. Di
rect staff to initiate Municipal Code Amendments to explicitly ban short-term rentals;
2. Di
rect staff to initiate Municipal Code Amendments to allow Short-Term Rentals with identified regulations;
3. Do not
initiate Municipal Code Amendments for STRs and allow issues to be managed through existing provisions in the municipal code; or
4. Pr
ovide other direction.
SUGGESTED CITY COUNCIL MOTION
St
aff has no suggested motion.
SUMMARY
On N
ovember 18, 2024, staff provided preliminary research on Short-Term Rentals and potential impacts of STRs to the City of Simi Valley, based on a citizen inquiry to regulate STRs based on potential neighborhood impacts. Very few STR complaints are received annually and can be addressed with existing Municipal Code standards (e.g. noise, parking, property maintenance). Pursuant to that presentation, City Council requested of Staff further information on the costs and benefits of an STR program, partnershi p with third-party vendors, and enforcement with fees. Staff analyzed potential elements for a STR program, including the good neighbor policy. Staff prepared further analysis of the associated costs and benefits of an STR O rdinance, including staff time and resource costs. Based on the findings, the program would likely create a deficit for the City in establishing a STR Ordinance in year one and the potential for ongoing program deficits based on permit fees and ongoing enforcement . Due to the limited number of citizen complaints, which can be addressed using traditional neighborhood enforcement, a STR 37 Ordinance may not be necessary at this time. The potential benefit of collecting Transient Occupancy Taxes from STRs may be offset by program establishment and ongoing management, and proactive enforcement. Staff requests direction from the City Council on whether to proceed with a STR policy or ordinance.
______
______________________________
Stratis Perros
Environmental Services Director
Pr
epared by: Zarui Chaparyan, Associate Planner
INDEX Page
Ex
hibit 1: November 18, 2024, City Council Staff Report………….10 Exhibit 2: Good Neighbor Policy Examples………………………….16
38 STRccmtg11-18-24(klk)
CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
MEMORANDUM
November 18, 2024
TO: City Council
FROM: Department of Environmental Services
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR DIRECTION ON POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS TO THE
SIMI VALLEY MUNICIPAL CODE FOR THE REGULATION OF SHORT-
TERM RESIDENTIAL RENTALS
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council provide direction regarding short-term residential rentals.
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
On October 21, 2024, the City Council directed staff to provide options to the City Council for regulations on short-term rentals within the City of Simi Valley. Staff is providing this report and requesting direction on whether t he City should initiate Simi Valley Municipal Code Amendments and/or policy updates to establish specific standards for short-term rentals.
Short-term rentals ( also referred to as “STRs,” “vacation rentals,” “short -term vacation rentals,” or “transient rentals”) are private residences rented in whole or in part , for a period of less than 30 -days. Online sites, such as Airbnb, HomeToGo, and VRBO list entire homes or rooms for rent. The City’s research of online sites determined there are between 30 and 50 STR units listed within the city limits. STRs in Simi Valley range from $100 to $350 per night, depending on the listing site and type (Refer to Tables 2 and 3).
At this time, the City does not define a STR, nor regulate short-term rentals. Over the past 10 years, the City has only received a few complaints involving STRs. The most significant was from an STR being marketed as an event venue that made major property modifications without permits. The other STR complaints expressed not wanting the home to be rented short -term or otherwise and had no actionable items to address. Staff also receives a handful of inquiries each year regarding the City’s STR regulations , typically from prospective operators.
FINDINGS AND ALTERNATIVES
Staff surveyed seven (7) jurisdictions on their STR rules and regulations, as demonstrated in Table 1.
AGENDA ITEM NO.
9A
EXHIBIT 1
39 STRccmtg11-18-24(klk)
Table 1 – STR Regulations in Surrounding Jurisdictions
Jurisdiction Ordinance
in Place
Nature of
Ordinance
Notes
City of Agoura
Hills
Yes Allowed with a
permit
City of Camarillo Yes STRs Banned
City of Moorpark Yes STRs Banned
City of Ojai Yes STRs Banned
City of Oxnard Yes Allowed with a
permit
Limited permits offered in Coastal
Zone; and cannot be within 200
feet of any other STR property.
STR permit issued; enforcement
via third party vendor.
City of Ventura Yes Allowed with a
permit
The City is developing an
ordinance to regulate STRs,
including limiting the number of
units and density of allowed units.
Enforcement with 3 rd party
vendor.
County of
Ventura
Yes STR permits
required in
Coastal Zone
and Ojai Region
No outright ban on STRs
elsewhere.
Of those surveyed, four jurisdictions allow STRs with permits. These jurisdictions also work with third party vendors to regulate STRs, and/or have rules in place to limit where STRs can be located or the number of STRs allowed. Moorpark , Ojai and Camarillo do not permit STRs, arguing the need to preserve each individual city’s aesthetic and neighborhood characteristics. It should be noted that each of these cities still have available STRs listed on the various platforms that facilitate STRs.
Below is a breakdown of potential advantages and disadvantages of short-term rentals.
Advantages of Short-Term Rentals:
1. Tax Revenues for the City: If regulated, STRs have the potential to generate new permit fee revenue, Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) and sales tax revenue, captured from tenant spending when visitors stay in Simi Valley instead of a neighboring jurisdiction.
2. Supplemental Income for Homeowners: Renting out a home or portion of a home (room rental) for business, leisure, or temporary housing can generate new revenue for homeowners, helping them recover from their investments, make a profit, or provide additional discretionary income.
40 STRccmtg11-18-24(klk)
3. Increase in Simi Valley Visitors: STRs provide a lodging option to supplement the limited number of hotel rooms in the City and provide additional local lodging options.
4. Support Local Businesses: Requiring STRs to collect and pay TOT the same way hotels are required to do would level the playing field between the two types of lodging. The Fiscal Impacts section provides additional discussion this topic. In addition, when visitors stay in Simi Valley instead of neighboring jurisdictions, visitors are more likely to frequent nearby businesses , including retail stores and restaurants.
Disadvantages of Short-Term Rentals:
1. Potential Loss of Housing Stock for Residents and Workforce: Although not likely a concern in Simi Valley, units removed from the permanent housing market and used for short -term rentals may reduce long -term rental options . A reduced housing stock results in increased rental prices for permanent housing, and has the potential to affect the City’s workforce, who will then resort to residing outside of Simi Valley with longer commute times into the city.
2. Impacts to Existing Hotels : STRs may impact existing hotels by increasing competition and lowering hotel occupancy rates, hotel revenues , and transie nt occupancy and tourism taxes to the City. In addition, Simi Valley’s hotels currently contribute to the Visit Simi Valley Tourism Assessment, which is not collected for STRs. Hotels also create employment opportunities for City residents and generate related sales tax revenue.
3. Neighbor Complaints: Neighborhood deterioration and noise have the potential to lead to neighborhood complaints. Though the City has noise restrictions (SVMC 5-
33.03), STRs have the potential to cause public nuisance via loud parties and gatherings. This has the potential to create enforcement issues for the City. The Regulatory Challenges and Impacts to City Staff and Resources Section provides additional information on this topic.
4. Potential Deterioration of Residences/Neighborhoods : Without the oversight or presence of a property manager/owner on site, consistent turnovern of STR renters has the potential to depreciate homes’ conditions. Other concerns include:
increased traffic coming through neighborhoods; vandalism; noise; overcrowding; turnover of people; and leaving trash out on the street s. Simi Valley has not experienced STR concerns at a level at or above ordinary property maintenance complaints as a whole and the City has existing re gulations in the Simi Valley Municipal Code to address most of the concerns listed above.
Fiscal Impacts
The City of Simi Valley charges a 10%TOT rate on hotel and motel stays. TOT funds are used to offset increased public service costs that may be incurred from tourists, including public safety, road maintenance and repair. The City collects approximately $2 million 41 STRccmtg11-18-24(klk)
from TOT each year. 1 Upon further research of other California jurisdictions that permit and tax STRs (including the cities of Orange, Vista, Indio, Fullerton, Oxnard, Ventura and the County of Ventura), staff has prepared the following financial findings. Staff makes an optimistic assumption for the rent and number of nights per year of 40 listed homes and rooms in the City 2, based on available data online. Staff makes findings, assuming that all listed STRs would comply with an STR ordinance.
Table 2 – Simi Valley STR Estimates
Number
Available STRs
Average Daily
Rate
Estimated Number of
Days Rented per Year
Entire Home3 12 $322.50 96
Room Only 28 $130.05 144
Table 3 – Potential STR Revenues per Year
Fees for Homes Fees for Rooms
Permit4 $936 $936
Business Tax Certificate $115 $115
Gross Receipts Tax $50 $25
Transient Occupancy Tax $3,096 $1,561
Total Per Year Per Unit $4,197 $2,637
Total Per Year for Available Units $50,365.68 $73,828.72 Should the aforementioned occur, Staff projects approximately $125,000 of gross revenues per year from STRs.
Regulatory Challenges and Impacts to City Staff and Resources:
Necessary considerations of an STR program development are associated with code enforcement, public safety , and administration of a program. Some issues to consider include:
• Administration of a STR Program: Staff would need to determine required applications, permitting, taxation and business registration requirements for such a program, which would involve, the Planning Division, Administrative Services , and Code Enforcement, and a third-party vendor for searching, tracking and enforcing business tax registrations. The City currently uses HdL to administer all Business Tax Certificates.
• Adjustment of Staff Time and Personnel Management: Since most STR stays occur during the weekends , Code Enforcement staff would need to adopt permanent work schedules incorporating nights and weekends to respond to code enforcement related complaints arising from STR. If absorbed within existing 1 There are 6 hotels in the City of Simi Valley
2 Based on Airbnb and VRBO search on 10/23/2024 that brought up 43 searches in the City. 3 Includes homes, guesthouses, and apartments.
4 Amount was based on average fee assessed by the seven jurisdictions mentioned above. 42 STRccmtg11-18-24(klk)
resources, two Code Compliance Officers could be redirected to night and weekend schedules, which would divert resources from other quality of life issues by about 20% due to work that can only be conducted during daylight hours such as knock and talks with residents. Additionally, notifications to STR violators would be delayed due to the inability to mail notices during weekend shifts. An alternative would be to hire an additional Code Compliance Officer at a total cost of approximately $120,000 per year.
• Overall Enforcement of a Program : As there are dozens of online vacation rental sites, such as Airbnb, VRBO, HomeToGo, FlipKey, and Booking.com, finding and ensuring that all STRs in Simi Valley are registered and permitted with the City would be time-consuming and divert staff away from current priorities. It would require a minimum of 2.5 staff members from Code Enforcement and Administrative Services to properly administer the program and ensure compliance. Some third-party vendors have enforcement services, which could primarily monitor permit s or conditions of said permit , however, on-the-ground enforcement would likely be borne by Police or Code Enforcement staff . Further, third-party enforcement may only target locations advertised online through popular rental portals. Word of mouth rentals are harder to track and would be extremely difficult to enforce (similar to a traditional home rental).
Enforcement Rules are already in Place
As an alternative approach to establishing a new ordinance, the City’s existing mechanisms for enforcement of complaints related to single -family dwellings can be utilized for issues related to short -term rentals. The Municipal Code has existing definitions for Bed and Breakfast Inns, Lodging Houses, and Boarding Houses, all of which require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). Existing operators may be able to apply for a Conditional Use Permit to operate through one of the categories. The Environmental Services Director may apply specialized conditions of approval to restrict certain operational aspects such as number of renters, length of stay and parking availability.
The enforcement of Conditional Use Permit violations tied to STR can be handled through existing procedures, while complaints related to late night noise violations or on -street parking violations are currently be referred to the Police Department. Other types of complaints could be referred to Code Enforcement. However, there would still be an added cost to modify the City’s existing contract with HdL to administer the issuance and monitoring of Business Tax Certificates.
An STR program would approximately cost $18,470 annually, plus a one-time $5,000 set up cost, to track and issue permits with a third-party vendor, such as HdL, which currently administers the City’s Business Tax Certificate program. The vendor would track short - term rentals in the City through online listings, and coordinate with City Staff and STR owners to obtain City permits and business tax certificates. Additionally, it would cost the City approximately $321,304 annually to administer and enforce the program. This cost includes salaries and benefits for new and/or reallocated staff , including two Code Compliance Officers and 50% of a Sr. Management Analyst. While the City would generate $125,000 from tax revenue, the City would be subsidizing an STR program at approximately $214,774 per year.
43 STRccmtg11-18-24(klk)
The following alternatives are available to the City Council:
1. Direct staff to initiate Municipal Code Amendments to allow short-term rentals;
2. Direct staff to initiate a Municipal Code Amendment to prohibit short-term rentals;
3. Direct staff to provide more detailed research options for short-term rental zoning, enforcement and taxation rules and return with a report to the City Council within 6 months to allow for further direction on whether to proceed with an ordinance;
4. Do not initiate Municipal Code or policy amendments at this time; or,
5. Provide other direction.
SUGGESTED CITY COUNCIL MOTION
Staff has no suggested motion.
SUMMARY
On October 21, 2024, the City Council requested Staff to review STRs, including their feasibility, effectiveness, fiscal and staffing impacts. While benefits to STR regulations include tax revenue generation and supplemental income for City residents, there is a lack of STR complaints and a limited number of STRs within the City. Coupled with program expenses and enforcement, a STR Ordinance could outweigh the aforementioned benefits. Given the presented, Staff requests direction from the City Council regarding possible amendments to the Municipal Code. ____________________________________
Stratis Perros
Environmental Services Director
Prepared by: Zarui Chaparyan, Associate Planner
44 Local Resources
Milpitas Police Emergency – 9-1-1 or (408) 263-1212
Milpitas Police Non-Emergency – (408) 586-2400
Animal Services: (530) 587-5948
Code Enforcement: (408)-586-3072
Compliance and Potential Fines
The City of Milpitas makes every effort to work with
guests and property managers to resolve issues of
non-compliance with the Short-Term Rental Ordi-
nance before issuing citations or fines. Repeat or
excessive non- compliance, however, may result in
fines of up to $500 per day or more for the guest,
property owner, or both.
Local Contact Person Information
Your host is required to designate a local contact
person who is able to respond in person to any code
compliance matters related to your rental within one
hour.
Your rental’s local contact person information is:
Name: __________________________________
Phone Number: ___________________________
Pets
Pets must always be secured on the property.
Please
do not leave pets unattended or allow them to roam
unleashed, and always clean up after them.
The Short Term-Rental program is administer by the Milpitas Planning Department.
If you have general program question please contact us at 408-586-3279 , or by email at [email protected] www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov/short-term-rentals
Welcome to the City of Milpitas!
The Good Neighbor Manual highlights the guidelines that visitors must follow during their stay in a short
-
term rental unit.
For your enjoyment of the unit and to preserve the peace and quiet of the surrounding neighborhood.
Here are some tips for homeowners and
travelers on how to Stay Neighborly
Noise
Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Consider
moving indoors after 10 p.m. and be considerate
of neighbors when conducting any outdoor activi-
ties
Occupancy
Overnight occupancy (10 p.m. to 7 a.m.) of short-
term rentals is limited to two adults per bedroom,
plus one additional adult. Children under 16 do not
count towards this limit. Check with your host
about any questions related to occupancy limits.
Parking
Park only in the designated parking areas provid-
ed for
your rental unit. Do not block any driveway.
Waste and Recycling
Don’t be a litterbug! Please put your trash in the
proper containers both inside the rental and out-
side.
EXHIBIT 2
45 Rules to Vacation by
Do not exceed the occupancy limit
Do not exceed the stated occupancy at any time during
your stay. The maximum number of adult occupants may
be less than the total maximum occupancy.
NO PARTIES ALLOWED.
No parking in street or yard
Parking is only permitted in the driveway, designated
parking spaces, and garage. This includes trailers. The maximum number of vehicles permitted is on the exterior sign.
No amplified music 24/7
Amplified music is not permitted to be heard beyond the property line 24/7. Close your windows to avoid music
carrying beyond the property line.
Head inside at 10:00 p.m.
Noisy outdoor activities and spa use are prohibited from 10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.
Take your furry friend with you
Take your dog with you so they do not disturb
surrounding neighbors. You will find that Big Bear Lake is very dog-friendly!
Take trash to dumpster locations
Trash needs to be taken to a local dumpsite unless there are commercial trash bins at your property (condo).
Clean Bear trash locations:
41790 Garstin Drive & 39690 Big Bear Blvd.
Consequences
Unfortunately, a few of our guests refuse to
extend common courtesy and neighborly
behavior toward the guests and residents
around them. For those guests who have come
to party and disrupt the peace and tranquility
of the neighborhoods, there are costly and
severe consequences.
Fines
The minimum fine for violating the rules stated
previously is $500 per violation. A second
offense is $1000 per violation.
Eviction
Unruly guests who blatantly disregard the rules
and expectations will be evicted without a
refund. In addition, costly citations may be
issued to the undersigned.
Signature of Guest
(ID to be verified by Check-in Agent)
Print name:_____________________________
Address:_______________________________
City State Zip:__________________________
Signature:______________________________
Date:___________________________________
Good
Neighbor
Policy
46 Welcome to the City of Big
Bear Lake!
Southern California’s Premier 4-Season
Resort Community
Thank you for choosing to vacation in Big Bear Lake. We are pleased to welcome over 1.2 million visitors per year to our beautiful community. Whether you are here to
enjoy the abundant natural features and amenities found in our surrounding forest or looking for some rest and
relaxation in our quiet and tranquil residential
neighborhoods, we trust your experience will be world-
class.
While enjoying your time in our mountain community,
we’d like to remind you of some important community
expectations for guests staying in our residential
neighborhoods. We also want to provide some tips that
will make your stay more enjoyable and help you
vacation like a local. The last thing we want is for your visit to be interrupted by one of our Compliance Officers.
We think you and your family & friends can have an
amazing vacation while still being respectful and
considerate to the neighbors around you.
Expectations for guest
behavior
Sound carries differently at higher elevations
(thinner air) and in varying topography than it
does on flat land at sea level. Sound in the
mountains can carry for miles (listen for the
coyotes at night). A normal private
conversation between two people on a deck
may be clearly heard from many houses away.
Amplified music can me heard a mile or more
away from the stereo speaker.
For these reasons, we have strict rules about
amplified music and outdoor activities at night.
Please help us maintain our quiet neighbor-
hoods and enjoy the amazing stillness and
tranquility that the forest provides.
“A private conversation
between two people on a
deck may be heard clearly
from many houses away.”
Be a Good Neighbor
A big part of Big Bear Lake’s charm is the
friendly and helpful residents. If you are
fortunate enough to be staying at a home near a
full-time resident and see them on their deck or
in their yard, introduce yourself! Many of our
residents enjoy meeting visitors and providing
tips on activities and restaurants.
Visit careforbigbear.com for more information.
Visit Like a Local
If you extend your visit beyond the weekend,
you will see the large amounts of litter and
trash left behind by the weekend visitors. Here
are some tips to help you and your family
preserve our natural playground for the next
generation.
1. Leave no tr ace. Simply put, whatever you
take into the forest, bring back out –
including broken sleds.
2. Don’t litter. There are dumpsters located at
all trailheads and picnic areas. If a bin is
full, find another. Animals will tear bags
open and spread trash throughout the
forest.
3. Pick up after your pet. Please bag your
p
et’s waste AND TAKE IT TO A
DUMPSTER. Leaving your pet’s waste in a
bag on the side of a trail is littering.
4. Keep the peace. If you are going to listen to
music while hiking or enjoying the lake,
use headphones instead of a Bluetooth
speaker.
47 GOOD
NEIGHBOR
BROCHURE FOR
VACATION
RENTAL GUESTS
Welcome to
La
Quinta,
California!
REACH US AT
City of La Quinta
78495 Calle Tampico
La Quinta, CA 92253
760.777.7000
www.PlayInLaQuinta.com
[email protected]
MISSION STATEMENT
To preserve the quality of life in
the City of La Quinta by evoking
a true collaboration of hosts, guests,
and community, encouraging tourism
in our Gem of the Desert.
Please review the important information in
this brochure regarding your stay in a
short-term rental property.
La Quinta is surrounded by the beautiful
Santa Rosa mountains offering year-round
sunshine, scenic hiking and biking trails,
world-class golf, premiere shopping and
dining, and much more!
Memorable Guests. Memorable Moments.
Memorable LaQuinta.
Vacation LQ Rental Hotline: 760.777.7157
Sheriff's Department: 760.836.3215
48 ____________________________
The City of La Quinta
asks for your full
cooperation
Renters are advised that the following rules
will be strictly enforced. Failure to comply
may result in citations, fines and/or
expulsion from the rental property. If a
citation is issued, fines range from $1000 -
$5,000 per violation.
City residents have the right to call a 24/7
short-term vacation rental hotline to report
violations of the rules outlined in this
brochure.
NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS
PERMITTED
Number of
Bedrooms
Total
*Overnight
Occupants
Total ** Daytime
Occupants (Including
Overnight Occupants)
0-Studio 2 2-8 1 2-4 2-8 2 4-6 4-8 3 6-8 6-12 4 8-10 8-16 5 10-12 10-18
6 12-14 12-20
7 14 14-20 8 16 16-22 9 18 18-24 *Overnight (10:01 p.m. - 6:59 a.m.)
**Daytime (7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.)
NOISE
Please keep any music to an appropriate
level.
TRASH
Rental properties should be kept clean
with no visible trash. Please keep all trash
containers out of street view.
PARKING
Onsite parking is limited to approved
carports, garages, and driveways. Renters'
vehicles should not block a neighbor's
driveway. Additional vehicles are
encouraged to park directly in front of the
rental property.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Special event permits are required for gathering in
vacation rental properties that exceed the number
of allowable people outlined in this brochure.
Special event permits must be applied for by the
homeowner or the homeowner's authorized agent
45 days prior to an event.
ANIMALS/PETS
The City requires that all dogs be on a
leash whenever they are in unclosed areas
or on public streets. Please pick up and
dispose of your pet's waste. Loud animals
often result in neighbor complaints.
Please be mindful of our desert weather, it
is always illegal to leave your pet
unattended in a vehicle.
Vacation LQ Rental Hotline: 760.777.7157
Sheriff's Department: 760.836.3215
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For additional information please see
La Quinta Municipal Code 3.25
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The homeowner or an authorized
agent will be expected to answer and
respond to the Hotline complaint calls
within 30 minutes or the La Quinta
Police Department will be called.
49 City of Lake Elsinore ♦ 130 S. Main Street ♦
951.674.3124 www.lake-elsinore.org
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