Who Will Rent Short-Term Vacation Rentals in Ocean Beach and Point Loma During the Pandemic?

By Sheila Pell / San Diego Reader / April 7, 2020

In many places, temporary bans and restrictions are being placed on short-term rentals to help stop the spread of coronavirus. San Diego, reeling from the travel slowdown, hasn’t joined them.

On April 4, Newport Beach, a vacation hotspot, banned the units for as long as the local emergency is on. Palm Springs, Big Bear Lake, Placer, and Nevada counties have shut them down. Several states have suspended them. The only exceptions are for critical workers.

California’s stay-at-home order was issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom on March 19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends avoiding all nonessential travel, even trips across town.

Caught off guard, hosts have sought a niche for their vacation rentals. “Unlike the closed city beaches, this tucked away unpatrolled beach can still be enjoyed,” says one Airbnb listing in Pt Loma. April’s rental rate is 20 percent off “due to scaffolding” on the building’s exterior.

Some rentals have been discounted even more. Some have become available long-term. Another local listing for a large home advertises its cleanliness. “COVID-19 disinfected to CDC standards.”

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