by Raymond Jackson
Short-term rentals (STRs) are worsening California’s housing crisis, stripping the market of homes that should be available for long-term residents STR websites fuel this crisis, facilitating unpermitted listings, enabling hosts to evade taxes and zoning laws, and resisting enforcement. By listing and processing payments for unlawful rentals, these platforms aid and abet municipal violations while profiting at the public’s expense.
There are well over 100,000 STRs in California—effectively removing 100,000 homes from the long-term market. Building that many new homes in the next decade is unrealistic. Instead, Sacramento must empower cities to regulate STRs, enforce licensing, and reclaim housing for residents.
STR platforms encourage landlords to prioritize vacation rentals over permanent housing, shrinking supply and inflating rents. This drives displacement, with long-term tenants forced out—sometimes illegally—while investors exploit loopholes to evade restrictions. Lower-income renters suffer the most, worsening homelessness and housing insecurity.
Entire neighborhoods are being hollowed out, transformed into transient lodging zones where short-term visitors disrupt community stability. Unlike hotels, many STR operators skirt taxes and safety regulations, depriving cities of critical revenue for infrastructure and affordable housing.
Sacramento cannot allow STR websites to continue undermining California’s housing stock. Cities must have the authority to regulate STRs in ways that prioritize housing for residents, not corporate profits. The state must take bold action to curb STR expansion and restore homes to the people who need them.
Raymond A. Jackson
Hermosa Beach Councilmember
We have an apartment in our house that we used to rent out. We don’t rent it as a STR, but we don’t rent it out long term either anymore because I don’t think that California laws provide any protection for us if our tenant doesn’t pay. We had an apartment in the SD area too, and when tenants didn’t pay, we would just work something out and, if they didn’t come through again, we asked them to leave and they did. Now, I’m afraid, we’d be taken to court and things would drag out forever. So there’s that.
Ray,
Guess state law is state law. Here in RPV we had this same STR crisis. Council banned them and our Commision came out with sheriff badges reading ‘Rancho Palos Verdes – Bordello Inspector.’ Only 17 were made but each is treasured by it’s recipient!. HB might do the same