Laserfiche WebLink
Long-Term Solutions to Short-Term Rentals <br /> <br />2024-2025 Orange County Grand Jury Page 10 <br /> <br />Most ordinances require an emergency contact for each STR, but a review of hundreds of <br />complaints between 2022 and 2024 shows that in a number of cases the contact does not respond <br />either in the thirty- or sixty-minute required time frame. <br />Warnings and citations may take up to a week to issue and are recorded in an STR complaint log. <br />The STR operator may appeal the citation. Initial appeals are made through a city official or a <br />third-party administrative officer. This can take some time, during which the STR may continue <br />to operate. An ordinance without an appeals procedure may be challenged in the courts. <br />The Grand Jury learned that in most cities, CE investigates complaints with a fair bit of leniency. <br />First, the CE officer will visit the property and confirm the violation. The most common <br />complaint is noise, and this violation must be observed and verified by the CE officer. Other <br />complaints may involve vehicle parking, trash, and exceeding permitted occupancy. The CE <br />officer often works through the emergency contact to resolve problems and often will issue a <br />warning rather than a citation. <br />Tools That Help Code Enforcement Accomplish Their Goals <br />Cities that allow STRs would benefit from a system that geographically integrates STR owner <br />contact information, permit, and business license numbers. Having this information readily <br />available would enable CE to respond to complaints more effectively. Some of the third-party <br />platforms offer these tools, but using a third-party platform requires a degree of technical <br />knowledge and an investment in Code Enforcement training. Some cities accomplish this work <br />with internal tools and staff. <br />Beyond responding to complaints, CE in some cities proactively inspect permitted STRs and/or <br />confirm the emergency contacts. These inspections confirm occupancy limits, ensure that safety <br />equipment is onsite, and validate that no unpermitted construction has been done on the property. <br />Legal Cases Uncover Gaps in STR Ordinances <br />Recent cases up and down the state have established firm guidance for cities as they deal with <br />STR issues. The Grand Jury identified a few cases that clarified areas of ambiguity in existing <br />STR ordinances: <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />  <br />  <br />City Council 10 – 12 8/5/2025