Open Letter Invites Campbell, Union and Travel Platform to Next Meeting, July 22 Via Zoom and Facebook
The Board of Directors of the Ocean Beach Town Council has sent Councilwoman Jen Campbell an open letter criticizing the City’s failure to protect beach neighborhoods from short-term vacation rentals, and asks her to stop “excluding beach area constituents” from the conversations on them.
The Board also invited Campbell and other members of the deal concocted between her and the union, Unite HERE and Expedia, one of the largest international short-term vacation rental platforms to attend the next OBTC public meeting to “tell us more about how you intend to enact this proposal.” The meeting takes place July 22 at 7pm. All meetings are held via Zoom with a live broadcast on Facebook.
Here’s the full letter from the Town Council, dated July 15, 2020:
To: Councilmember Campbell, UNITE HERE Local 30, and Expedia Group
For the last 50 years the mission of the Ocean Beach Town Council (OBTC) has been to express the will and represent the welfare of the Ocean Beach community. Over the past five years the OBTC has hosted numerous public meetings gathering community input regarding the vexing problem of illegal short-term vacation rentals. This has been going on, unchecked and unenforced in sections of our neighborhood zoned for residential use only.
The inability of America’s finest city to enforce its own municipal code, instead allowing the problem to continue for so many years is absurd and raises many troubling questions about the access and influence that short-term operators, platforms, and their lobbies have had on our local elected leaders.
The City of San Diego, under the leadership of the Mayor’s office, has audaciously refused to enforce the existing code as interpreted by our own City Attorney. This demonstrable lack of leadership has resulted in a de-facto rezoning of our residential neighborhoods, and the proliferation of scofflaw property owners taking advantage of the lack of enforcement to convert residential units into unregulated hotel operations.
Based on the track record of the City’s failure to protect our neighborhoods, it is understandable why we would be apprehensive about a proposed agreement between the City, UNITE Here 30, and Expedia (one of the largest international STR platforms). This agreement notably left out the ultimate stakeholders: San Diego’s beach area residents who have been most adversely affected.
We are hopeful that you stop excluding the beach area constituents from this important conversation. Therefore, we are formally extending an invitation to Councilmember Campbell, UNITE Here 30, and Expedia Group to attend our public meeting this coming Wednesday to address important questions from the community and tell us more about how you intend to enact this proposal. The meeting takes place July 22 at 7pm. All meetings are held via Zoom with a live broadcast on Facebook.
You can RSVP to receive log in instructions by emailing us at info@obtowncouncil.org. We look forward to hearing from all of you, and working together to solve this ongoing issue.
The Board of Directors of the Ocean Beach Town Council
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Jen Campbell is a gigantic disappointment to us. I believe that she
intentionally lied to us, when she campaigned for office. We have
not gotten what we voted for. We must vote her out as soon as
possible.
I’ll be attending OBTC: look forward to Campbell listening & interacting with us; scripted replies are strongly discouraged! 48 year resident, who votes.
If you want illegal gatherings to stop at short term rentals during COVID-19, please sign and share this petition:
Thanks!