Manhattan Beach Will Not Ease Short-Term Rental Ban During World Cup

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — Manhattan Beach will not ease its short-term rental ban temporarily during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to city officials.

In a three-to-two vote Tuesday — with Mayor David Lesser, Mayor Pro Tem Joe Franklin and Councilmember Steve Charelian dissenting — an ordinance that would have allowed short-term rentals citywide in preparation for the World Cup failed, city officials said in a council meeting recap.

"It isn't that we don't want to be welcoming; I just don't think we have the capacity to host this safely," Franklin said, the Manhattan Beach News reported.

SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, less than 10 miles away from Manhattan Beach, will host eight matches during the World Cup, spanning from June 12 to July 10, according to the Orange County Register.

Though months away, the demand for lodging during the World Cup in Los Angeles County is becoming apparent.

According to The Los Angeles Times, short-term rental prices in Inglewood have surged, with some having a 58% increase compared to normal pricing for opening night on June 12.

Manhattan Beach first banned short-term rentals citywide in 2015, according to the city’s website.

The decision came after “numerous residents” weighed in about short-term rentals' “negative impacts on residential neighborhoods, such as increased traffic congestion, overuse of public parking, noise, and crime,” the city said.

In April 2022, the Court of Appeal issued an opinion saying the city’s ban does not apply to properties in the coastal zone, according to city officials.

Currently, to operate a short-term rental in the coastal zone, renters must obtain a business license, as well as levy, collect and remit Transient Occupancy Tax.

Manhattan Beach City Council in December directed city staff to return with a draft ordinance establishing a temporary short-term rental policy, limited to the FIFA World Cup.

“I definitely support this, but I want people to understand that … this will not become permanent,” Council Member Amy Howorth said at the Dec. 16 meeting. “This is a way to monitor it and accurately enforce ... We should not miss this opportunity, because we're gonna get run over if we, if we don't.”

If the city does not prepare for the possibility of short-term rentals, Howorith said, residents will find ways to rent their homes, and the city will lose out on Transient Occupancy Taxes.

Franklin disagreed.

“Anybody here remember the '84 Olympics?” Franklin said at the December meeting. “Everybody was all excited. ‘I'm going to make a million dollars and this, that and the other.’ It didn't happen, OK? … You're going to really put a dent into the quality of life for so many people.”