With the Herald article I published Tuesday, and with the public comment period underway for STRs (Short Term Rentals), this seemed like an appropriate topic for today’s post. There is a conflux of issues with the STRs and overtourism here in Big Sur. It is one reason this post is WAY longer than I usually post. There just seemed to be so much to cover in this battle to save our community.
One concern, of course, is that as tourism increases, the spending at our local establishments does not keep pace, this is one of the factors in the equation that must be considered. People who are staying at STRs – Airbnb, etc. – are not staying in our local hotels and motels, which then takes away more business from the establishments when the hotel/motel guests would normally patronize their restaurants and stores and are not doing so. Additionally, local businesses have difficulty finding employees And often must provide housing, if they can, or hire people who have long commutes just to get to work in the service industry. Imagine a Big Sur with no Nepenthe or River Inn or Fernwood or Deetjen’s or all the other local businesses.
STRs take housing away from locals so that the owners of the property can support their inflated purchase prices, or simply make money, and then the businesses have trouble getting and keeping employees. No where is this more apparent to me than down here on the South Coast because it is the area with which I am most familiar.
Staffing for the local school has always been a challenge. Some staff must commute all the way from Cambria, which is especially difficult during road closures. Others live in trailers on the school property. In speaking with USFS staff at the Big Sur Fire open house, and then Tuesday with the District Ranger, Tim Short, I discovered that staff housing for the USFS Pacific Valley Station has created a dangerous situation. It does not have the staff it needs to provide an Engine to this community for fire season. It is hoping to rectify this before fire season completely kicks off, but at this time, there is a housing shortage for any future staff.
Other popular tourist destinations are finding that the Airbnb or other STRs are modifying the nature of the community and in many instances, destroying it.
“The plight of Barcelona shows the damage Airbnb can do, exacerbating urban inequality and freezing out young locals.” (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/31/airbnb-sharing-economy-cities-barcelona-inequality-locals)
“Airbnb rentals reduce the supply of long-term rentals in communities, creating economic costs that outweigh the benefits, according to research presented by Economic Policy Institute Research Director Josh Bivens in a new paper. Local policymakers should pay heed, says Bivens, and certainly not change local regulations and tax structures to benefit Airbnb.” https://www.realtrends.com/blog/economist-warns-airbnb-rentals-impact-housing-crisis/
“Airbnb and Miami Beach Are at War. Travelers Are Caught in the Crossfire.” ““You get to a point where you feel like you’re living in a hotel room,” said Kathaleen Smarsh, a resident of Flamingo Park. “You don’t know who is coming and going at all hours.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/09/travel/airbnb-miami-beach-war.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
Vacation Rental Draft Ordinances and associated environmental analysis are available for public view at the following link:
In the link above you will find the following:
- Notice of Public Availability of Proposed Vacation Rental Regulations [PDF]
- Draft Ordinance Amending Title 20 (Coastal Zoning) Relating to Vacation Rentals [PDF]
- Draft Ordinance Amending Title 21 (Non-Coastal Zoning) Relating to Vacation Rentals [PDF]
- Draft Ordinance Amending Section 7.02.060 and Adding Chapter 7.110 Relating to Vacation Rental Activities [PDF]
- Environmental Analysis
And finally, a Big Sur resident’s perspective from the North Coast:
“Continued [from the comments made on my Tourist Tuesday post] – One of the many reasons why none of the 3 categories of Vacation Rentals should be allowed in Big Sur, and why the County should continue to prohibit them is … See TITLE 20 – Definitions – Section 20.06.360 … the short version “Dwellings …. occupied exclusively for non-transient residential purposes.”
If you made it to the end, I would like to thank you for caring, and hopefully, you can now visit the links above and craft a meaningful comment to be considered on Monterey County’s draft STR ordinance.
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When you comment by e-mail, I would suggest you also send a hard copy.
We're experiencing the short-term rental issue here in Kona...the guy across the street rents out his place to up to 15 people at a time.....he doesn't live on-property so the traffic and noise is really troublesome....my housemate has to get up early for work and her bedroom is on the street side of the house across from this guy......this is a residential neighborhood -- no apartment complexes, motels, businesses, etc. .....no matter what she says or does (letters), nothing changes....these "renters" are on vacation so they're partying, and in Hawaii that means spending lots of money and having lots of fun (making lots of noise)......neighbors live and deal with each other -- strangers don't seem to give a fuck!*!
I am sorry you have to deal with this, too. Mollie. It is a nightmare for all of us who are lucky enough to live in the “destination” places of this planet. Enough is enough!
Thanks Kate ..... you’ve surely got this one right
See you Sunday.... Alan
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I had stayed neutral on this issue for years, but am convinced this is a bad thing for the Big Sur businesses and community.
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Despite having a strong property-rights bias I must agree that on balance this type of rental is detrimental to the Big Sur community. It basically short circuits the zoning process and has the potential to create significant consequences in the very fragile micro-communities of Big Sur. There is the added problem that much of Big Sur housing is not nearly the type/quality of construction or have the access that would be familiar to those renting these properties. The Camp Fire of last year demonstrates how tragic that could be to people unfamiliar with getting out in a hurry or finding safe shelter.
What this discussion really does is dovetail back into the discussion of promoting Big Sur to the world as a tourist destination without providing ANY infrastructure improvements. If we continue to focus on and discuss individual symptoms, I fear that we will not solve the problem of a serious deficit in the infrastructure required to host visitors or protect this amazing coast.
I feel for the folks that have long term housing and may be unable to continue as they are getting older and have financial stress. If you house 2-4 long term rentals and have 1 str- you have extra finances to 1)improve the long term housing units 2) keep your 10-20 acres afloat into your old age and 3) help continue to keep the community a 'community'- when billionaires buy property here it is not for str or ltr- and they usually are not even here more than a few weeks maybe months a year. Just my two cents.
If that was the way STRs worked, it would be great, but it isn’t. Rarely does an STR landowner even stay on his/her property, and in Big Sur, only 1 main house, 1 caretaker unit, and 1 guest house are allowed, so not sure where you get 2-4 long term rental units from. And if all STRs only had guests that were conscious, it would be great.
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Something we all need to remember. Area's zoned for residential use here in Big Sur were never meant for visiting-serving purposes (Overnight Transient Occupancy). 5.1.1 Residential Land Use ... The significance of the residential areas for planning purposes is that they have the capacity, to some extent, to accommodate additional residential demand. Unlike the larger properties or commercial centers, they are NOT well suited for commercial agriculture, commercial, or Visitor Uses: use of these areas, to the extent consistent with resource protection, should continue to be for residential purposes. (LUP, 5.1.1 - pg. 65). And unlike some of you believe, Vacation Rentals (Homestays, Limited STRs & Commercial STRs) are NOT a "residential use," they are a visitor-serving commercial use for Vacationing Tourist ...
Great and well thought out and articulated comment, Janet.
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Just speaking from someone who is in the 'know' of a few old timers who have lived here for 40+ years, who live on their property 12 months a year. There are folks providing long term housing though, I suppose those units may not be "legal"- well, there is another can of worms. And hence the LACK of Housing in Big Sur; and let's not forget about the Billionaire Factor.
I’ve only been here for 33 years, and I know of a lot of “chicken coops” that became caretakers units. None of these are STRs that I know of. And if they are, and they are infringing on their neighbors privacy, safety, or peace, or putting the renters in jeopardy, then shame on them. It is the more recent influx, of people who buy above their means and count on STRs to make the payment; or the ones who have enough money, but simply want more, that are the biggest problem, but it goes deeper than that, and you know it. STRs change the nature of community. Did you bother to even read my post? What has happened in other parts of the world? ALL destination places are fighting back. I am just suggesting we join the fight.
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Just speaking as an older old timer that was born and raised here ... Vacation Rentals (Homestays, Limited STRs and Commercial STRs) do NOT belong in our residential neighborhoods, or Big Sur period ... that is what our motel, inns and lodges are for!
Let’s take care of our community and not the tourists for once. Don’t turn houses into hotels!!!
Marcus, nice, succinct, and oh so true. Thank you.
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I am not sure where you get your information. How much of this is actually verifiable facts, vs guess work on your part? Most of it, I believe to be inaccurate. STRs are on shared roads, behind locked gates, are close to neighbors in neighborhoods. Are you a STR landowner down here in Big Sur? Nepenthe is always packed, it is true, but it has no rooms for rent - it is a restaurant, so doesn’t even play into this discussion. You are entitled to your opinion, but don’t pretend you have the “facts” to support it.
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