STAY INFORMED
FAQs & Info
Currently, Oceanside short term rental rules favor corporate rental owners over neighbors – and commercial operators have gobbled up permits, with almost no enforcement by the City. Our focus is exclusively on protecting our residential-only neighborhoods. We are not Anti-STR. We want to make sure that our permit holders are individuals that are local and responsible.
THE PROBLEM
Corporate Short-term Rentals
The City improperly granted short-term rental permits for dozens of corporate-owned short-term rentals in Oceanside’s residential-only neighborhoods, like the R-1/CZ zone. A single corporate owner owns 62 short-term rentals, including rentals in residential zones, supported by a corporate laundry and a full-time staff of close to 100 people. If that were a Marriott or a Hilton it would never have been allowed in a residential-only zone. Commercial uses like these corporate owned mini-hotels are not allowed in Oceanside’s residential zones. But the corporate owners used a network of shell companies to hide the illegal commercial nature of their operations, and the City mistakenly let it happen.
The City's Revision Proposal
We came forward with detailed proposals which would ban corporate mini-hotels, yet allow resident neighbors to still rent out their home as an STR for up to 90 days per year. We also called for permit revocation for bad actors with multiple infractions (something in 5 years with over 1,000 STRs the City has never done, despite there being over 1,500 reported infractions.) Our detailed proposals – a mark-up of our proposed STR ordinance changes – can be found below.
See the Oceanside STR Ordinance Revision Proposal here ...
The City Staff recommended 50 additional STRs in our residential-only neighborhoods
The City Staff took none of our recommendations. The City staff said they “listened to the community,” which was the mini-hotel operators and the STR lobby led by full-time professionals. They made a recommendation which will be considered on March 25 and formally voted upon on April 24.
The City Staff recommended that Oceanside permit 50 additional corporate STRs in our residential-only neighborhoods. We seek a return to our legally zoned residential-only status, which implies zero corporate STRs. City Staff validated all existing STRs, betting that once again Oceanside residents would be passive and let the mini-hotel operators take over our neighborhoods. Our collective voice must be heard by the electeds. The City Council has the legal authority to decline to renew the mini-hotel permits, as acknowledged by the City Attorney.
You must tell your City Councilmember and the Mayor to vote against the Staff
recommendation for an additional 50 mini-hotels in our residential-only neighborhoods.
As a sop, the City Staff proposes un-enforceable policies – saying that only 5 bedrooms can be advertised even though many STRs have 10 bedrooms – which does not address the fundamental problems: 12 loud partiers next door is not a material improvement over 22 partiers. The same or greater number of smaller corporate STRs amidst us does not protect our residential-only neighborhoods. Finally, this will be impossible to police without midnight “bedchecks” - college aged kids can all crowd 20 people into a 5 bedroom house. Do not be fooled - it is preposterous to believe that this will be monitored by the City when it has a terrible STR enforcement history.
See the City Staff memo here ...
Let the City Staff know how you feel
Make sure the Planning Commissioners understand that mini-hotels and corporate STRs must get out of residential neighborhoods. On Monday March 25 at 5:30 pm come to the City Planning Commission Meeting at which City Staff will present their recommendation. We will have speaker spots available. Wear one of our tee shirts. Wave a sign!
Today / this weekend, email, call or text your Council member / the Mayor and tell him / her that you support Neighborhoods for Neighbors, and that the preservation of residential neighborhoods is a top priority for you.
Sign up on our website to show you support our cause.
There is an election in November. What kind of Oceanside do you want to live in?
OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT OUR POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
Neighborhoods are for Neighbors proposes a simple revision to the zoning code which the City needs to adopt to fix the problem: 1) In the residential-only district, short term rentals should be limited to one owner/one permit – this is similar to what the City of San Diego does. 2) In the residential-only district, short term rentals should be limited to 90 days per year, by a homeowner who has lived in the home for 365 days and uses it as their residence.
Our proposal would continue to allow hosted short-term rentals—including in residential-only neighborhoods like the R-1/CZ zone. There would be no change.
Our proposal would continue to allow unhosted short term rentals but for only 90 days a year — including in residential-only neighborhoods. Provided, however, that for those STR operators who own only a single STR in Oceanside as of January 1, 2024, who have no violations, they will be grandfathered from the 90 day limit, and able to rent their STR for 365 days per year.
Yes. But the City believes the deception of the corporations is so prevalent and that the City cannot adequately enforce the one-for-one; the corporations need at least 180 days of short-term rentals to make their profits so this 90 day limit will deter them from operating in the residential-only zones. This being said, for those STR operators who own only a single STR in Oceanside as of January 1, 2024, who have no violations, they will be grandfathered from the 90 day limit, and able to rent their STR for 365 days per year.
No! The current situation of dozens of corporate short-term rentals polluting our residential-only neighborhoods is completely unacceptable. Freezing in place the results of this improper activity would be a disaster. It is critical that when these existing corporate short-term rental permits expire after their 12 month period in the residential-only zone, the City should not renew them.
No. Two top law firms (Latham & Watkins and Seyfarth) have looked at this issue and concluded there is no vested right. The City Attorney has expressed his agreement that there is no vested right. The City can let these corporate short-term rental permits lapse.
No. First, more enforcement does nothing to address the underlying issue that corporate short-term rentals are illegal in residential-only neighborhoods—commercial activities like giant party houses are incompatible with single-family homes and raising families. Second, the City doesn’t have the resources to adequately enforce complaints and is completely overwhelmed by these corporate owners. Even though there have been major safety and quality of life violations by short term rentals (e.g., gas leaks that went on for two days; massive underage parties with blaring music all night), the City has never revoked a short-term rental permit.
No. Under our proposed ordinance, hosted short-term rentals will continue to be allowed for any period of time, as will unhosted short-term rentals for up to 90 days a year by bona fide homeowners. In addition, any homeowner with only one unhosted STR in a residential-only neighborhood as of January 1, 2024, who has no violations, will be grandfathered from the 90 day limit, and able to rent their home for 365 days per year. Our proposal will only stop corporate speculators who have no stake in the community.
No. We are long-term residents of Oceanside and the fiscal health of the City is very important to us. The reality is, there is no evidence that keeping short term rentals where they belong—in the Residential-Tourist (“RT”) zone and outside of residential-only zones—will cause the City to lose even a dime of transient occupancy tax. Shutting down the bad operators will mean people go to Oceanside’s beautiful hotels, to the resident homeowner short-term rentals, and to the many short-term rentals in appropriate neighborhoods such as the RT zone, while keeping our residential-only neighborhoods for families. This maintains the quality of life residents and visitors alike are entitled to enjoy safely. Over 95% of Oceanside’s short-term rentals are outside of residential-only zones: there are a total of 637 unhosted short-term rentals in Oceanside and there are only a few dozen commercial mini-hotels in the residential-only zones. It will not hurt Oceanside's tax revenues to protect residential-only neighborhoods.
The corporate owners used subterfuge and shell companies to take what was a good thing for Oceanside- short-term rentals in the Resident Tourist ("RT") zone- and since 2019 have spread into the residential-only neighborhoods. These corporate operators make tens of millions of dollars per year renting mini-hotels for up to $10,000 per weekend and have powerful lawyers and strong political connections. There is only one Oceanside short-term rental enforcement person working 40 hours per week trying to oversee over 1,100 short-term rentals. The corporate owners spread misinformation about why they should be allowed to spread into residential-only zones so they can make more money. Despite consistent complaints since 2019 the City has ignored the resident homeowners because we have not been organized. We are here today to let the City know they cannot destroy our residential-only neighborhoods.
South Pacific Street has a dozen coastal access points that have been used primarily by residents of Oceanside. These access points have always been used by local surfers and beach goers. However, since STRs moved in and started packing dozens of people into each home, the streets are clogged with cars making it impossible for locals to park and use the beach. We want to reclaim our neighborhoods and local beach access. Banning STRs in these areas will make parking more accessible for locals to use the beaches. And we welcome the use. We look forward to meeting our neighbors again on the beach.
Neighborhoods are for Neighbors thinks all Oceanside residential-only neighborhoods deserve the same protection from bad actors. On South Pacific Street from Wisconsin to Eaton almost 50% of all homes on the coast are now STRs, and R-3 and RS zones are next for corporations buying up properties to run mini-hotels 365 days a year.
We are an active and growing community of Oceanside citizens and would love to hear from you
Email us at: