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SANTA ANA <br /> TR <br /> December 2, 2024 ALLIANCE <br /> EC�EME <br /> VIA EMAIL ecommentnsanta-ana.org <br /> Mayor Valerie Amezcua <br /> Mayor Pro Tem Thai Viet Phan <br /> Councilmember Benjamin Vazquez <br /> Councilmember Jessie Lopez <br /> Councilmember Phil Bacerra <br /> Councilmember Johnathan Ryan Hernandez <br /> Councilmember David Penaloza <br /> Santa Ana City Council <br /> City Council Chamber <br /> 20 Civic Center Plaza M-30 <br /> Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br /> Re: December 3, 2024, City Council Meeting—Item 15: Second Reading of Ordinance <br /> Amendment No. 2024-04 Prohibiting Short-Term Rentals <br /> Dear Mayor Amezcua, Mayor Pro Tem Phan, and Honorable City Councilmembers, <br /> On behalf of the Santa Ana Short-Term Rental Alliance, I am writing to respectfully request that <br /> you reconsider proceeding with the second reading of the proposed ordinance to reenact a ban on <br /> short-term rentals at your meeting on December 3. We at SASTRA fully support the reasonable <br /> regulation of STRs in Santa Ana. Unfortunately, the City's plan to readopt a legally flawed STR <br /> ban—based on clear misinterpretation of the law and without any meaningful engagement with <br /> either hosts or residents that rely on STRs for transitory housing—highlights a failure in the <br /> legislative process. <br /> At the November 19 hearing, Councilmember Bacerra and Mayor Amezcua both raised concerns <br /> with the STR ban and encouraged Staff to return with more nuanced regulations for STRs in the <br /> future. That did not occur—the current proposal merely readopts the flawed ban with no <br /> meaningful changes. Indeed, Councilmember Lopez specifically asked Staff if the Council should <br /> consider any new information in light of public comments. Staff responded"no" and did not even <br /> mention our attorneys' 171-page letter with detailed technical analysis by experts demonstrating <br /> the ban's potentially significant health, transportation, and environmental impacts. <br /> The City Council must pause before its December 3 meeting to correct missteps that began in April <br /> to enact a law that: (1) severely infringes on constitutional rights and California law, (2)results in <br /> significant environmental impacts, (3) creates economic hardship, and (4) disproportionately <br /> affects those most in need of flexible housing options. A brief recap of the events is summarized <br /> here for your awareness: <br />