Santa Ana bans short-term rentals within city limits

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- The Santa Ana City Council has voted to ban short-term residential rentals within city limits. Effective immediately, the ordinance impacts residential rentals of less than 30 days.

City staff say this is an effort to address an ongoing housing crisis in Santa Ana.

City Attorney Sonia Carvalho reminded residents in a meeting on April 2 that active rentals of less than 30 days were already running without a permit because there wasn't a permitting process in place.

During public comments during Tuesday's council meeting, Santa Ana residents spoke about the lack of affordable housing in their city and the constant influx of strangers into their neighborhoods because of short-term rentals.

Dozens there were among the workers of the hotel service industry in Orange County and applauded the vote by council members this month to ban short-term rentals.

Ada Briceño, co-president of the hotel workers' union, Unite Here Local 11, said the move prioritized long-term tenants.

"Our members share homes with other families in order to make ends meet. People in the hospitality industry have to do that in order to make sure that they're able to stay in the communities that they've built over a long period of time," Briceño said.

"City staff identified over 1,100 active short-term rental units operating in Santa Ana, representing approximately 35% of the City's new housing needs as determined by the State of California," according to a press release by Paul Eakins, the city's public affairs information officer.

Some short-term rental owners spoke in opposition of the ordinance at the meeting this past Tuesday.

"I strongly believe that we provide a valuable service to the community by offering lodging options for families that visit Southern California, thereby boosting tourism and revenue for the city and the surrounding areas," one short-term rental commented.

The city attorney reminded residents enforcement kicked in right away.

"I'd like to make sure that the public understands that it is our city's official position that short-term rentals are not permitted in our city," Carvalho said during the April 2 meeting. "So they should not feel that they have an extra 30 days to continue to violate the law as we will enforce it as it currently exists and under the new ordinance that you've passed."

Violations of the ordinance could lead to misdemeanor charges and civil action.