Opinion: The Hart of Santa Barbara’s Short-Term Rental Ban
Connecting the Dots Between Hotels and City Hall
James Fenkner writes this opinion piece after his experiences owning a condo in Santa Barbara’s R-4 hotel zone. An investigative financial analyst who moved from Russia to Santa Barbara in 2009, Fenkner has also rented out his home during the summer occasionally, which has allowed him to travel with his wife and children. Both properties, which he owns with his wife, have been fully licensed and paid taxes. The majority of their renters have been families with children.
Starting January 1, 2017, all short-term vacation rentals in the City of Santa Barbara will be unlawful. The mom and pop or, as is often the case, grandma and grandpa owners who continue to rent out even one room for less than 30 days will face the city’s wrath. Miscreants will be heavily fined. For those who ask forgiveness, a magnanimous City Council has decided they may pay a lesser fine in exchange for waiving their First and Fourth Amendment rights and swearing to never rent less than 30 days again. Life will be harder for those who resist. If Grandma ignores warnings to cease and desist, the city may search her home and seize evidence of illicit conduct — which would presumably include misplaced family photos, packed suitcases, or a tourist map of State Street.
To fund this war on small-time hospitality, the city has summoned awesome resources. The city’s attorney has been apportioned an additional $150,000 to his budget and will get three new employees. Their mission: to scour the Internet in search of a public enemy so addicted to new friendships, ambassadorial pride, home beautification, and the thrill of making ends meet that they occasionally rent out their own homes for less than 30 days. Already the city attorney has sprung into action and subpoenaed 44 websites that advertised short-term rental sites.
