Anaheim's short-term rental properties to be shut down

ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) -- The Anaheim City Council voted Wednesday to ban all short-term rental properties, following residents' complaints about noise and neighborhood disturbances.

City Council members had considered whether to just impose new regulations on short-term rental properties or ban them completely.

There are more than 350 permitted short-term rental properties in Anaheim, according to city records. Unlike other cities, Anaheim collects an occupancy tax from short-term renters. In the last 12 months, the city has collected over $3 million.

Owners of these properties will have 18 months to shut down operations.

Before the vote, demonstrators rallied in front of Anaheim City Hall to protest and hold up signs that read "BAN S.T.R."

Those opposed to the short-term rentals claimed that there is a constant issue with disturbance.

"There is no middle ground. This is a residential area. This is destroying the quality of our lives," Anaheim resident Charlotte Seidnematollah said.

Residents weren't the only ones opposed to the short-term rentals. Local organizations were also demanding the ban.

"Taking jobs from the hotel industry and the area - it's a big community issue, and neighborhoods have been overtaken," Ada Briceno, with Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development, said.

However, owners of these rental properties said that it is only a few bad homes giving all of the properties a bad name.

"We would love to have more direct contact with the opponents, and what we are doing is looking to make sure that no one is disturbed," rental owner Alan Bynder said.

Bynder's neighbors did not have any complaints and said that they love what he has done to the home. He was not opposed to having more restrictions, but said that a ban is a mistake.

Currently, a family of nine from Australia is staying at Bynder's rental home that is a half mile from Disneyland.

"Families won't come to this tourist areas because it'll be too cost-prohibitive for them to rent out three or four motel rooms or hotel rooms," tenant Barry Collett said.