Problematic short-term rentals cause city to rethink policies

By Brooklynn Wong

The days of AirBnB and other short-term rental properties in Buena Park may be over. The city is a prime place to rent out a room or an entire property, with Knott’s Berry Farm in the city and the close proximity to Disneyland and beaches.

For many in the city, it’s been a way to add necessary padding to their income, not to mention to meet interesting people and to provide relatively cheap alternatives to area hotels.

But a few bad apples may ruin those opportunities for the whole group.

The city has received an increased number of complaints about unregulated and disruptive behavior at short-term rentals in Buena Park over the last several months.

On May 14, the City Council adopted an urgency ordinance imposing a temporary moratorium on residential short-term rental facilities.

The moratorium is in place now, and city staff is working on conducting more research ahead of a June 25 public hearing to further discuss the matter, at which they will decide whether or not to extend this urgency ordinance, for up to nearly another year. Ten months and 15 days is the amount of time suggested by the city.

This all was discussed at this Tuesday’s City Council Meeting, where several residents showed up to speak on the matter. The numbers were nearly equal on those who had had negative experiences with rentals in their neighborhoods so therefore were in favor of banning short-term rentals, and those who have and rely upon short-term rentals and therefore want to be able to continue renting them out.

Resident Paula Lee said she bought her Buena Park home in 1983, and for the last two years has rented out one of her rooms to short-term visitors. She is single and a teacher, and renting out one room has helped with financial hardship. She says she has “only had excellent experiences,” and that her renters are sometimes businesspeople, sometimes single parents with kids on vacation to Disneyland or Knott’s, and sometimes families moving their children in to local universities. She did not want to stop being able to rent out her room.

Another resident named Kevin, who bought a house just last year expressly for the purpose of using it as a short-term rental, said that is his main source of income. He asked, “What is life and death in this situation?”

Another said this urgency ordinance imposes an “immediate financial crisis.”

One woman said she and her husband are empty-nesters, and that they rent out some of their empty space to be able to make their house payment. Her husband was laid off from his job and has being driving for Uber and Lyft ever since. Renting out the property helps them and she said they have had wonderful experiences with people from diverse backgrounds. The renters are usually people who cannot afford “two- to three-hundred dollar hotel rooms.” And she said in fact that their neighbors disturb their guests more than vice versa.

Cassandra Elliott said she has been renting out a room since February. She called the city prior to see if there were any restrictions, and she said her call was never returned. She said when the moratorium was put in place, she had to cancel four reservations that would have brought in $2600 for her.

She said a group called the Buena Park Short Term Rental Coalition has been formed, and that the moratorium “really does affect a lot of us financially.”

However a woman named Nancy Castaneda complained about a short-term rental property at 8367 Mango Way, where she said there are marked amounts of trash and noise that affect the safety and quality of life of those in the neighborhood. She called it a “nuisance property,” and said parking is a problem there, and underage drinking and public urination take place. There was a street fight there last year that Ms. Castaneda said involved 100 people, and “seven to nine police vehicles responded.”

Neighbors’ vehicles have been backed into, and only one note has ever been left taking responsibility.

Her grandchildren are present at her house in the neighborhood as well, and a family cat was hit by a car and killed during a presumed party at the rental property.

Others shared similar experiences.

City Attorney Christopher Cardinale said stories like that have given the city enough reason to take action.

The public hearing will take place at City Hall on June 25.