Marin County Postpones Discussion On Short-Term Rentals

PRESS RELEASE SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION BY COUNTY OF MARIN:

MARIN COUNTY, CA – The County of Marin is going to take more time to examine options to modify rules on short-term rental properties after receiving feedback from the public and the Marin County Board of Supervisors.

On Feb. 13, the board conducted a first reading of an ordinance that would have required posted signage to identify a property as a short-term rental in unincorporated areas of Marin County. Although the board tentatively scheduled a merit hearing on the matter for March 13, it plans to continue the item to a date to be determined later as county staff reevaluates other alternatives. The item will remain on the agenda for 1:30 p.m. March 13, but staff will only announce that it is being continued to a time later in the spring.

Originally, CDA proposed a one-year pilot program that required signs must be posted within eyesight of a street along with information about the payment of taxes, business licenses, and contact information for the owner or property manager. The changes only affect short-term rental properties in the unincorporated areas such as popular vacation destinations in coastal West Marin.

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. Short-term rentals in Marin, especially in coastal areas, provide much-needed lodging in an area with few motels or hotels. Many have told the Board that rentals lead to support of restaurants, shops and other businesses in the area that survive on tourist dollars. However, others have expressed to the Supervisors that vacationers create problems with traffic, parking, and noise for the year-around neighbors.

In the past, 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. In 2017, CDA hired a consultant to research short-term rentals and how they are regulated outside of Marin. In July 2017, CDA shared the results of those findings and encouraged public feedback, which helped formulate the draft ordinance.

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Photo: Marin County has many short-term rental properties registered with Airbnb, VRBO and HomeAway, especially in coastal communities. Photo via County of Marin