Post by High Priestess on Apr 11, 2016 0:15:15 GMT
Adela shared April 10 2016
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-216759
Banned in Huntington Beach
Hi,
I'm planning on renting my room but recently read that STR are banned in Huntington Beach.
Any feedback on this issue? There are plenty of people in this city hosting and I'm wondering how they get around the ban.
5 comments
Following
Like
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
I'm guessing they just ignore the ban....quite a number of cities, particularly those passing more restrictive regulations on Short term rentals, are finding that residents are simply ignoring the law. Make no mistake, there is a people's rebellion going on in many quarters, against what folks view as unjust laws. We had the prohibition in the 1920's and the "war on drugs" (such as marijuana, which is now legalized in several states/cities) which both met with forms of public rebellion. Arguably, it is less harmful to rent out one's own property to someone who wants to rent it, than to drink alcohol or use marijuana.
Here's an interesting article which shines a light on the difficulty that cities will have in trying to enforce bans or harsh regulations on short term rentals:
vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/pete-mcmartin-burned-by-the-sharing-economy
Smarter city governments are NOT trying to ban short term rentals, realizing that it is not in their best interests to create "outlaws" out of hundreds if not thousands of their residents.
Reply Like 5 replies
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/pete-mcmartin-burned-by-the-sharing-economy
Adela
Adela8 hours ago
Thank you Deborah. I look forward to reading the article. It does seem pretty unfair to put restrictions on homeowners wanting to rent out their own property. Especially, when cities could potentially profit from it.
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
It is pretty unfair -- I would say it's grossly unfair. One can see that cities want to avoid out of control parties, for instance, which do happen at some Airbnb rentals -- but those kinds of incidents are quite rare, and one would think that homeowners would be vastly more interested in avoiding those incidents on their own property, than some city official in an office downtown. Laws which are unjust tend to get ignored by the populace -- or openly defied. This seems to be the way of the world. Now Airbnb is trying to help mitigate against these kinds of harsh regulations and bans by indicating that it can help cities collect Transient Occupancy Taxes, in cities which have them. Generally cities like the idea of getting a bunch of "free money" like this, and they are cooperative. In fact I know of at least one city which signed up with Airbnb to get these taxes collected before it even passed any laws on short term rentals. So before it even said if these rentals were legal or not (we assume it will allow them), it jumped at the chance to get millions of dollars a year in TOT taxes. Not only do cities benefit by TOT, but they benefit by the guests spending money in their cities...as well as by the host basically providing a boost to city tourism at no expense. In Berkeley CA for instance the city was ready to spend $500k to boost city tourism, whereas Airbnb hosts provide that boost all at no cost!!
Zandra
Zandra7 hours ago
Yes this is why Airbnb is encouraged in London; we've seen a huge increase in tourists recently. I know I travel more because of Airbnb; holidays used to be a real expense but now I can always travel somewhere within my budget.
Adela
Adela7 hours ago
Wow, very interesting. A much smarter way to do business and treat their citizens.
Suzy
Suzy8 hours ago
Sorry, I don't follow the "less harmful" equation with alcohol or marijuana. Two totally different topics of regulation. All of my friends know I smoke marijuana but are horrified at the thought of strangers sleeping in my home.
Reply Like 6 replies•2 likes
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
If you dont' follow the idea, then ignore it -- it's just a thought. It is funny isn't it how people can react so irrationally to "strangers sleeping in one's home" -- as if no one ever rented out their property before Airbnb came along, or as if anyone who ever rented property, rented only to people they already knew.
Suzy
Suzy8 hours ago
I posted an opposing idea and opinion, it's a discussion board. Many people aren't comfortable with renting rooms in their home. It's not irrational for people to be concerned about a single woman living alone renting to strangers. All of my guests are lovely pot smoking people.
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
Suzy I don't think you realize how absolutely hilarious this is: "IT's not irrational for people to be concerned about a single woman living alone renting to strangers...all of my guests are lovely pot smoking people."
Deborah
Deborah7 hours ago
www.budandbreakfast.com/ .....Suzy.....
Suzy
Suzy7 hours ago
I don't hold the same opinion as others, obviously as I rent.
Suzy
Suzy7 hours ago
Deborah, I'm listed on bed and breakfast, thanks. It is perfectly acceptable to advertise a 420 friendly listing on airbnb, I checked. Many, many do.
Suzy
Suzy8 hours ago
Adele, I would imagine if someone complained to the city then action might be taken. Looks like your city has a bed and breakfast license if you want to be legal.
Reply Like
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
I looked this up...http://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/announcements/announcement.cfm?id=917
ANd the city does indeed offer a bed and breakfast license opportunity. However one would need to do further research to see how workable that is. It is subject to "very specific criteria" as stated. One assumes that if every person who was wanting to be an Airbnb host in that city could get a B&B license, then the city's ban on short term rentals would be pointless. So the city is very unlikely to grant a license to anyone who applies...as well, one has to consider that if you apply and are turned down, now the city has your information and knows you might be doing short term rentals, and so you are "on the radar" in a way that you wouldn't have been if you didn't apply for said permit.
Re neighbor complaints: because in fact most hosts only have problems with their city when a neighbor complains, this is why I have said over and over and over again that if you are in any kind of "iffy " situation with laws in your city (many cities dont' have a ban, they just have laws that are very unclear about how they apply to hosting, if they do at all) then it behooves you to make very sure that you do not make any of your neighbors upset with your hosting business. You want to go out of your way to please neighbors.
THere are several blog articles about these issues here:
www.globalhostingblogs.com
For instance, bit.ly/1oO9ZbU
Reply Like 2 replies
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/announcements/announcement.cfm?id=917 and www.globalhostingblogs.com
Adela
Adela8 hours ago
I really appreciate this, Deborah. Im doing a lot of research before starting and this is very helpful.
Adela
Adela8 hours ago
Thank you Suzy. I saw that too but it looks like there's a lot required to get that license.
Reply Liked 2 replies•1 like
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
That is usually the case...... and most cities have understood this and it would be completely ridiculous now , in these times, when so many people are hosting (some for only a couple weeks a year when they leave on vacation) for everyone who hosts to have to get a B&B license. This is another example of a bad outdated law which ill fits the reality of modern times.
Suzy
Suzy7 hours ago
In my city, landlords can be licensed for STR and pay taxes. Most people don't and there isn't the money or staff for enforcement.
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-216759
Banned in Huntington Beach
Hi,
I'm planning on renting my room but recently read that STR are banned in Huntington Beach.
Any feedback on this issue? There are plenty of people in this city hosting and I'm wondering how they get around the ban.
5 comments
Following
Like
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
I'm guessing they just ignore the ban....quite a number of cities, particularly those passing more restrictive regulations on Short term rentals, are finding that residents are simply ignoring the law. Make no mistake, there is a people's rebellion going on in many quarters, against what folks view as unjust laws. We had the prohibition in the 1920's and the "war on drugs" (such as marijuana, which is now legalized in several states/cities) which both met with forms of public rebellion. Arguably, it is less harmful to rent out one's own property to someone who wants to rent it, than to drink alcohol or use marijuana.
Here's an interesting article which shines a light on the difficulty that cities will have in trying to enforce bans or harsh regulations on short term rentals:
vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/pete-mcmartin-burned-by-the-sharing-economy
Smarter city governments are NOT trying to ban short term rentals, realizing that it is not in their best interests to create "outlaws" out of hundreds if not thousands of their residents.
Reply Like 5 replies
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/pete-mcmartin-burned-by-the-sharing-economy
Adela
Adela8 hours ago
Thank you Deborah. I look forward to reading the article. It does seem pretty unfair to put restrictions on homeowners wanting to rent out their own property. Especially, when cities could potentially profit from it.
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
It is pretty unfair -- I would say it's grossly unfair. One can see that cities want to avoid out of control parties, for instance, which do happen at some Airbnb rentals -- but those kinds of incidents are quite rare, and one would think that homeowners would be vastly more interested in avoiding those incidents on their own property, than some city official in an office downtown. Laws which are unjust tend to get ignored by the populace -- or openly defied. This seems to be the way of the world. Now Airbnb is trying to help mitigate against these kinds of harsh regulations and bans by indicating that it can help cities collect Transient Occupancy Taxes, in cities which have them. Generally cities like the idea of getting a bunch of "free money" like this, and they are cooperative. In fact I know of at least one city which signed up with Airbnb to get these taxes collected before it even passed any laws on short term rentals. So before it even said if these rentals were legal or not (we assume it will allow them), it jumped at the chance to get millions of dollars a year in TOT taxes. Not only do cities benefit by TOT, but they benefit by the guests spending money in their cities...as well as by the host basically providing a boost to city tourism at no expense. In Berkeley CA for instance the city was ready to spend $500k to boost city tourism, whereas Airbnb hosts provide that boost all at no cost!!
Zandra
Zandra7 hours ago
Yes this is why Airbnb is encouraged in London; we've seen a huge increase in tourists recently. I know I travel more because of Airbnb; holidays used to be a real expense but now I can always travel somewhere within my budget.
Adela
Adela7 hours ago
Wow, very interesting. A much smarter way to do business and treat their citizens.
Suzy
Suzy8 hours ago
Sorry, I don't follow the "less harmful" equation with alcohol or marijuana. Two totally different topics of regulation. All of my friends know I smoke marijuana but are horrified at the thought of strangers sleeping in my home.
Reply Like 6 replies•2 likes
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
If you dont' follow the idea, then ignore it -- it's just a thought. It is funny isn't it how people can react so irrationally to "strangers sleeping in one's home" -- as if no one ever rented out their property before Airbnb came along, or as if anyone who ever rented property, rented only to people they already knew.
Suzy
Suzy8 hours ago
I posted an opposing idea and opinion, it's a discussion board. Many people aren't comfortable with renting rooms in their home. It's not irrational for people to be concerned about a single woman living alone renting to strangers. All of my guests are lovely pot smoking people.
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
Suzy I don't think you realize how absolutely hilarious this is: "IT's not irrational for people to be concerned about a single woman living alone renting to strangers...all of my guests are lovely pot smoking people."
Deborah
Deborah7 hours ago
www.budandbreakfast.com/ .....Suzy.....
Suzy
Suzy7 hours ago
I don't hold the same opinion as others, obviously as I rent.
Suzy
Suzy7 hours ago
Deborah, I'm listed on bed and breakfast, thanks. It is perfectly acceptable to advertise a 420 friendly listing on airbnb, I checked. Many, many do.
Suzy
Suzy8 hours ago
Adele, I would imagine if someone complained to the city then action might be taken. Looks like your city has a bed and breakfast license if you want to be legal.
Reply Like
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
I looked this up...http://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/announcements/announcement.cfm?id=917
ANd the city does indeed offer a bed and breakfast license opportunity. However one would need to do further research to see how workable that is. It is subject to "very specific criteria" as stated. One assumes that if every person who was wanting to be an Airbnb host in that city could get a B&B license, then the city's ban on short term rentals would be pointless. So the city is very unlikely to grant a license to anyone who applies...as well, one has to consider that if you apply and are turned down, now the city has your information and knows you might be doing short term rentals, and so you are "on the radar" in a way that you wouldn't have been if you didn't apply for said permit.
Re neighbor complaints: because in fact most hosts only have problems with their city when a neighbor complains, this is why I have said over and over and over again that if you are in any kind of "iffy " situation with laws in your city (many cities dont' have a ban, they just have laws that are very unclear about how they apply to hosting, if they do at all) then it behooves you to make very sure that you do not make any of your neighbors upset with your hosting business. You want to go out of your way to please neighbors.
THere are several blog articles about these issues here:
www.globalhostingblogs.com
For instance, bit.ly/1oO9ZbU
Reply Like 2 replies
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/announcements/announcement.cfm?id=917 and www.globalhostingblogs.com
Adela
Adela8 hours ago
I really appreciate this, Deborah. Im doing a lot of research before starting and this is very helpful.
Adela
Adela8 hours ago
Thank you Suzy. I saw that too but it looks like there's a lot required to get that license.
Reply Liked 2 replies•1 like
Deborah
Deborah8 hours ago
That is usually the case...... and most cities have understood this and it would be completely ridiculous now , in these times, when so many people are hosting (some for only a couple weeks a year when they leave on vacation) for everyone who hosts to have to get a B&B license. This is another example of a bad outdated law which ill fits the reality of modern times.
Suzy
Suzy7 hours ago
In my city, landlords can be licensed for STR and pay taxes. Most people don't and there isn't the money or staff for enforcement.