Correspondence - PH #35 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Dear Council Members It has become clear your City Manager and City Attorney continue to provide you with misinformation, which has led to misguided decisions regarding short-term rentals (STRs). You have not been provided with the complete facts and potential repercussions of your voting decisions, which could negatively impacted thousands of families in Santa Ana. To protect our fundamental residential rights of use as homeowners, we (SASTRA) were compelled to file a lawsuit. We are holding firm and are committed to safeguarding those rights. Yet, we are also dedicated to educating you about STRs, dispelling rumors, and illustrating how permitting STRS can solve many issues this City faces. In that effort, we have created this Short -Term Rental Guide, which addresses the some of the misguided information, rumors and false statements concerning STRs. For example, your City Planning Department is claiming STRS are threatening the public health and safety and degrading neighborhoods. Yet, STRs are typically the nicest homes on the block, because we are required to maintain our properties to a higher standard for our guests. Recently, your City Planning Department claimed over 80 complaints have been received about STRS in the last year. Yet, those 80 claimed complaints are not legitimate complaints. There are a number of calls and online submissions informing the city there "is a STR in my neighborhood", which are not viable complaints. Plus, it's Not a reality that 80 separate STRs received complaints. The legitimate complaints are tied to a hand full of bad operators. Santa Ana has 1,100 STRs operating for the past decade with a 99% positive track record, because there have only been about 11 STR properties related to bad operators. You are being misled into taking action against 99% of responsible STRS homeowners who care about this city. Banning STRs, because of the 1 % of bad operators, is the true threat to public health and residential character. We'd suggest you ask your City Manager to provide you with a report of the negative economic impact that homeowners would experience; from home foreclosures, loss of employment, loss of income, loss of home values, and true neighborhood degradation as property upkeep diminishes - by banning STRs. Our STR Guide illustrates how banning STRs; has little or no impact on rent, and is not an effective tool for solving affordable housing. Plus, how new screening technology makes neighborhoods safer, and the reality of higher -income earning guests and families, that we bring into this city to contribute to the city's tourism and economic stability. ADDITIONALLY, STRS ARE YOUR SOLUTION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. FOR INSTANCE, ANAHEIM, WITH ABOUT 242 PERMITTED STRS, GENERATED $5.5 MILLION LAST YEAR. SANTA ANA, WITH 1,100 STRS, COULD GENERATE OVER $15 MILLION ANNUALLY FOR OUR CITY. THIS IS NOT A HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIO; IT IS A VIABLE REALITY. We have developed a fair and effective STR Ordinance that imposes strict regulations to help you address bad operators. Current laws make it challenging to remove those who don't comply, but our proposed ordinance empowers you and your compliance teams. We are eager to collaborate with your planning department to implement a viable STR Ordinance. I urge you to direct your City Manager and Planning Department to meet with SASTRA members. Likely within 90 days, we can resolve these issues together, eliminate costly litigation, and stimulate economic growth in Santa Ana.