Assembly Bill 1731 was recently put on hold for the next year by its author, Assemblywoman Tasha Boerner Horvath (D-Encinitas). The bill would have devastated the freedom of San Diego County’s residents to use their properties for short-term rentals.
Assemblywoman Boerner Horvath’s bill would have banned rental platforms from renting residential properties for over 30 days a year, unless the resident is present during the rental times. Targeting services such as Airbnb, HomeAway, and VRBO, the legislation would have severe ramifications on the local economies of coastal communities. Residents of Mission Beach, a favorite vacation spot for tourists, who have been renting out their property would be impacted financially by the new restrictions.
As State Senator Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) questioned in a committee hearing, it’s not clear whether the legislation would even make a difference in protecting long-term housing. AB 1731 would only have a damaging effect on investment in San Diego County.
AB 1731 passed the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee and was well on its way to the Government and Finance Committee before Boerner Horvath pulled the bill.
She did not address how the bill would potentially decimate the tourist economy. “We were getting very near to the end of the session and still were making changes to the bill, so do you rush those changes, or is it better to take more time? This isn’t about a quick win but having a solid policy,” Boerner Horvath said.
For now, the bill is sidelined. But AB 1731, now a two-year bill, might be revived next year.
Photo by Matt Artz
