Monterey County visitors' response to draft Short Term Rental Ordinances

Monterey County Board of Supervisors

The Monterey County Board of Supervisors will soon consider adopting new, overly restrictive draft vacation rental ordinances. As written, they put a virtual ban on unhosted vacation rentals in the most popular areas of the county: Big Sur, Carmel Valley, and parts of Carmel. This ban will drastically reduce your ability to ever again use vacation rentals throughout Monterey County. Monterey County Vacation Rental Alliance is fighting for reasonable ordinances and we need your help. Please sign the petition below that will be sent to the county supervisors. It offers solutions that will protect local neighborhoods, support guests who desire to stay in vacation rentals, and benefit the local economy.

Thanks for your help!

To: Monterey County Board of Supervisors
From: [Your Name]

Re: Response to Monterey County Draft Short Term Rental Ordinances

When I travel, I prefer a vacation rental home over a hotel. I want the privacy and the amenities of a full kitchen, a living room, and possibly a garage. I also find vacation rentals are significantly more affordable per bedroom than the equivalent number of hotel rooms for a group.

I am always respectful of neighbors just as I am at my home. Dear Supervisor, you have probably used a vacation rental yourself. If you ever rented a ski cabin, a condominium in Hawaii, a lake house, etc., you enjoyed a vacation rental. Did you cause a nuisance? Of course not. I know some neighbors hate vacation rentals, but I have never given them any reason to hate me or my behavior in their neighborhood.

I understand that Monterey County is considering ordinances that would eliminate or greatly reduce the number of vacation rentals available to visitors like me. I don’t understand why you would do this. Please allow both hosted and non-hosted vacation rentals to operate. I know some vacation rental operators have not adequately prevented nuisances. I support strict violation consequences for those operators.

Specific solutions include: remove the virtual ban on commercial permits in Big Sur, Carmel Valley, and parts of Carmel. For hosted homestays, remove the requirement that it be the owner’s primary residence and allow them to be operated by an owner's representative.

I have enjoyed Monterey County in the past and want to return. Please let me continue to rent vacation homes in Monterey County.