STABILIZING HOUSING
Temporary ban eyed on new short-term rentals
County officials are proposing a temporary moratorium on new short-term rentals in West Marin in an effort to address the housing shortage.
Short-term rentals are for 30 days or fewer. They have been made popular through services such as Airbnb and VRBO. The ordinance, set to be introduced to the Board of Supervisors at its meeting on May 24, would ban new registrations and licenses for short-term rentals for at least 45 days. The moratorium could be extended for up to two years.
If the moratorium is approved, property owners with existing short-term rental licenses could continue to operate. However, if a license holder sells the property during the moratorium, that license expires at the point of sale and the new owner would not be able to reregister the property, said Sarah Jones, a county planning official.
Jones said residents have voiced concerns about how short-term rentals impact the housing stock, rental prices and home sales.
“There is an urgency situation in West Marin,” said Jones of the ban, proposed only for the coastal communities. “Our intent is to get the housing stabilized so that we know what baseline we're working with so we can do some analysis work and develop a long-term policy.”
County staffers are expected to take up to two years to study the issue before proposing any long-term policy changes, Jones said. Any policy that comes out of that study would apply to the entire unincorporated county, she said.
If passed, the moratorium would apply to properties in the “West Marin transient occupancy tax area,” which was established after Measure W was passed in 2018. That measure increased the transient occupancy tax, which is paid by visitors who lodge in short-term rentals, from 10% to 14%.
Half of that revenue, or about $1.2 million, is used for enhanced fire and emergency services in West Marin. The other half is used to support long-term
community housing.
The areas include Dillon Beach, Tomales, San Geronimo Valley, Nicasio, Muir Beach, Stinson Beach and Bolinas. The areas include 551 properties with short-term rental business licenses, said Kathleen Kilgariff, a county planner.
According to county assessor records, approximately 5,250 West Marin lots are developed with one or more residences. Short-term rentals represent about 10% of the West Marin housing stock.
Fewer homes available means fewer locals working in service industries, fewer volunteers at fire departments, smaller school enrollments and less funding to maintain vital community services, Jones said.
In a letter to the county, the Bolinas Community Land Trust said short-term rentals have had negative impacts. The organization has a waiting list of approximately 200 people or families seeking housing in West Marin. Half of those are Bolinas or Stinson Beach residents or former residents who have been displaced. Many are living in quarters too small for their family.
“Homeowners who are still wanting to offer longterm rentals are pulled to rent at higher costs” because of short-term rental rates, the letter says. “The short-term rental market profits are central to the inflated market for home sales and long-term rentals in Bolinas.”
Safety is another concern, Jones said. Many visitors staying in rentals are unfamiliar with emergency evacuation routes and natural hazards.
Supervisor Dennis Rodoni, whose district includes West Marin, said the community has identified short-term rentals as a problem since he was first elected to the board in 2016.
“People are able to take a home, buy it and use for short-term rentals — essentially a commercial use in residential zone — and drive the price of real estate up,” Rodoni said.
As for policy changes, Rodoni said, “everything is on the table,” adding that the challenge is maintaining a balance between visitors and full-time residents.
“If we lose that balance, we're going to lose the character of the community, which is the reason visitors come here in the first place,” Rodoni said.
Property owners can still register their homes as short-term rentals until 5 p.m. of the day the ordinance is adopted. More information is at bit.ly/3Fzr0zY.