Santa Barbara Tackles Short-Term Rentals

Santa Barbara’s city committee just voted 2-1 to move forward a bold new ordinance tackling short-term rentals — banning them in high-fire-risk zones, requiring minimum two-night stays, and ditching the parking-on-site rule. The goal? Streamline licensing, preserve year-round housing, and restrict rentals to downtown or mixed-use zones only. But with a potential $2.7 million annual tax loss looming, residents are bracing for possible cuts to city services. Meanwhile, supporters argue it’s vital for safety and equity, citing fire evacuation risks and historical housing discrimination. The full City Council will weigh in by September — and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/c4a0f54026a1a3b6