TITLE
Recommendation to direct staff to work with the City Attorney to amend Title 5 of the Long Municipal Code to allow un-hosted short-term rentals. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
On May 19, 2020, the City Council considered an Ordinance to regulate short-term rentals (STRs) that allowed both hosted and un-hosted STRs. During discussion of the proposed Ordinance, concerns were expressed about the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry and the health and well-being of guests. As a result, the City Council directed the City Attorney to return with a revised Ordinance that allowed only hosted STRs. The City Council also requested staff to return within six months with the additional following information to aid them in determining if they wanted to allow un-hosted STRs:
· Cleaning and sanitizing protocols;
· Economic impact of COVID-19 on the City’s tourism industry;
· Transient occupancy taxes (TOT) paid to the City over the last three fiscal years (STRs);
· Number of registered STRs in the City since adoption of the Ordinance; and,
· Rental housing vacancy at the time of the report.
Cleaning and Sanitizing Protocols as Recommended by the Health Department
As a means of slowing the spread of COVID-19, the City, in alignment with the efforts in the region, including Los Angeles County Public Health, the City of Los Angeles, and Pasadena Public Health, as well as the statewide order issued by Governor Newsom, issued Health Orders (Orders) restricting community activities. The Orders issued by the Health Department include protocols for hotels, lodging and STRs. Protocols specific to STRs are attached (Attachment A). These protocols include rules and/or guidelines regarding social distancing, cleaning and sanitizing. Hosting Platforms, Airbnb and VRBO, provided staff with the cleaning guidelines they share with STR operators that use their platforms (Attachments B and C). Both platforms’ guidelines refer operators to the requirements of their local jurisdictions a...
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