The Ocean Beach Town Council is holding their monthly public meeting, Wednesday, June 27, and high on their agenda is a forum on short term vacation rentals – and “how to save community character and keep local residents.”
They meet at the Masonic Center, 1711 Sunset Cliffs Blvd, San Diego, CA 92107, form 7-9pm. It’s free and open to the public and well worth your effort.
From OBTC Facebook:
Short-term Vacation Rentals, or STVRs, create a cascade of problems in our neighborhoods. They drive out residents, damage local institutions, and deepen the housing crisis. One of the most unique and beautiful things about Ocean Beach is our strong sense of community. Please join us as we stand against unregulated STVRs to save the character of our town.
How STVRs affect Ocean Beach:
- Vacationers replace stable, contributing community members.
- Long-term residents – people who care about the community and their neighbors – are displaced. These are people who support and enhance their community by joining the Town Council, coaching Little League, sending their kids to the local schools, etc.
- Renters are evicted or priced out of the market – whether they rent houses, condos, or apartments.
- The OB Planning Board has estimated that Ocean Beach is losing 8 rental units per week to STVRs.
The character of the community is damaged:
- Schools close as families with children are evicted, priced out, or leave in frustration.
- Churches, clubs, and other social institutions flounder as the balance tips from stable, long-term residents to short-term, transient visitors with no stake in the community.
- Local businesses struggle as their residential customer base is reduced.
- Companies discover that their employees can’t find affordable housing.
The housing crisis gets worse.
Hundreds of houses, condos, and even whole apartment buildings in Ocean Beach’s residential-zoned neighborhoods have illegally been turned into short-term vacation rentals. These are homes that are no longer available for people who want to live in and contribute to the community of Ocean Beach. Investors looking to profit by buying up homes in our neighborhoods can offer cash or better payment options. Prices rise and the number of available units drops. It’s harder for everyone – would-be renters and
homeowners alike – to find and afford a place to call home.
Please attend the next OB Town Council meeting on June 27th to find out how to save the community character and local residents of Ocean Beach.
Don’t forget: The City Council is taking up Short Term Vacation Rentals on July 16
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Don’t forget this: If nothing changes, in 5 years (maybe less) OB will be nothing but empty houses that operate as hotels. The character will be gone, the farmers market will be empty, the shops will have to depend on tourist dollars, and we will all wish what happened? While the planning board is stuck on height levels, and new housing… STVRs are continuing to literally wipe OB off the map.
Good Afternoon,
I live in 100 years old building in ocean beach 2114 Abbott street,
How I can protect our building from getting sell and destroy???
I have to contact witch department to report how old our old apartment is?
It’s use to be a hotel back 1940.
I need help.
Sincerely,
Mana Lange
626-421-9921