Board to Consider Short-Term Rental Regulations

SAN RAFAEL, CA – The County of Marin is researching the topic of short-term rental properties in the unincorporated parts of the county and preparing some common-sense regulatory alternatives that are scheduled to be presented to the Board of Supervisors this summer.

The Marin County Community Development Agency (CDA) plans to share a memorandum on short-term rentals to the Supervisors on July 18, and anyone interested in the topic is encouraged to attend, view the live webcast feed or watch the presentation on local Comcast television (Channel 27). CDA is seeking public feedback via its Open Marin online discussion platform as well. The time of the July 18 meeting will be determined later.

Following the release of an independent consultant’s report, CDA has prepared regulatory alternatives for the Board’s consideration that include registering and licensing short-term rentals. Other possible requirements include third-party housing inspections to assure properties are up to code or posting signage for renters about applicable rules.

Key motives behind the proposal are the desire to enhance quality of life for longer-term residents and the desire to preserve existing housing opportunities – desires that are shared by many Marin residents as well as the Board of Supervisors.

In a county known for its high rental costs and expensive home prices, short-term rentals may have both positive and negative effects on housing opportunities for people of modest means. A negative side-effect may be an influx of vacationers creating problems with traffic, parking, and noise for the established year-around neighbors. However, short-term rentals in Marin, especially in coastal West Marin where there are so many vacationers, provide much-needed lodging. In areas with few motels or hotels, short-term rentals may lead to an economic boost to restaurants, shops and other businesses in the area that survive on tourist dollars.

Companies such as Airbnb, VRBO and Homeaway have been reluctant to provide addresses of rental properties to public agencies, making it hard for CDA to find out whether a property is being used for short-term rentals.

“The regulatory frameworks are only as good as the enforcement mechanisms behind them,” wrote CDA Planning Manager Jeremy Tejirian in a memorandum to the Board of Supervisors. “The normal code enforcement approach would not be effective for short-term rentals.”

CDA hired San Luis Obispo-based Lisa Wise Consulting to research short-term rentals and how they are regulated outside of Marin. The firm produced a so-calledwhite paper on the planning and economic considerations of short-term rentals, which is being made available to the public before the Board hearing on July 18.

Residents may subscribe to emailed updates on the issue.

— SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION BY: County of Marin / PHOTO: Short-term rental regulations would be put in place to enhance the quality of life for longer-term residents in tourist destinations such as Stinson Beach (Photo provided by Baykeeper/Lighthawk).