Long Beach City Council debates proposed ordinance

The Long Beach City Council discussed a proposed new ordinance at its Aug. 20 meeting, aimed at regulating short-term rentals, such as those listed on platforms like Airbnb.

An Airbnb is a private residence that is rented out to travelers. Current state and local laws prohibit these temporary rentals in the city. The purposed amendment would clarify the definition of short-term rental properties and establish penalties to deter people from running said properties, city officials said.

“Short-term rentals are already illegal in the city of Long Beach. We’ve been prosecuting them for many years,” Long Beach Building Commissioner Scott Kemins said. “We have several cases already in city court right now. We respond as complaints are generated, typically from neighbors complaining, or we get a report from the Police Department, typically from loud parties, parking issues, quality-of-life issues that neighbors have to deal with, from short-term residents that don’t really care about neighbors because they’re not really neighbors.”

The new measure would classify any dwelling unit used for rentals for less than 28 days as a transient rental property, effectively banning short-term rentals in the city.

First-time of-fenders can incur fines of up to $2,500 or imprisonment for up to 15 days, or both. Repeat violators could face fines of up to $30,000 for fourth or subsequent offenses, in addition to potential jail time.

During the Aug. 20 meeting, the proposal drew sharp criticism from several residents. Candy McLaughlin, an Airbnb host who rents a room in her home, emphasized that short-term rentals should not be the primary cause for concern.

“I mean, these people that come into our town are families, but there’s also people that do have those big parties and those big homes that rented for 30 days, but no one’s looking at them,” McLaughlin said. “We’re all just hosts, and we help people, that’s the way I look at it. I’m able to pay my bills as a single mother. I’m able to help my children up at school. I’m able to pay my mortgage, barely, and be able to keep my home. And we’re also able to help the community, for the restaurants, and people love it here. Without us, how are they going to be able to come to Long Beach?”

Other Airbnb hosts operating in the city highlighted the financial pressures that have led them to rent out rooms. They pointed out that hosting has been a crucial source of income, helping to pay their bills. Another speaker underscored the necessity of short-term rentals in managing the rising cost of living and emphasized the benefits to families and visitors. They urged the council to consider the positive impacts of responsible hosting.

“I want to support the community and the people of the community,” Michelle Greenstein, another Airbnb host, said. “It seems like we’re almost being penalized for trying to do something so we can live in this community.”

Council members acknowledged residents’ concerns, offering the possibility of revisiting existing regulations and gathering further evidence to ensure any new measures would be fair and effective.

“John (Bendo) made a couple of points, and a few other members of the council have as well, that we do need the data, and we need to present the data,” City Council President Brendan Finn said. “We’ve discussed the idea of doing a work session, and as Chris (Fiumara) said, that a work session doesn’t allow the public to speak in the work session, but they can attend and listen and then, of course, later on, we could always talk about it privately.”

Another point of discussion was the potential revenue loss for the city, if the new ordinance is enacted. Community member Allison Blanchet pointed out that several other counties in New York have successfully partnered with Airbnb to collect a hotel occupancy tax. Long Beach receives revenue from sales tax and hotel occupancy tax, which involves several steps. Hotels pay their taxes to New York State, which then sends a combined payment to the city. This includes taxes from sales, hotel stays, and food and beverages.

Community member Jim Kirkland recounted Long Beach’s history as a once-exclusive playground for the rich and famous. He added that a decline had occurred when people began traveling to other destinations, leading to the loss of upscale properties and hotels. Kirkland said he believes that the rise of Airbnb has helped revive the city by filling the gap left by the decline in traditional accommodations.

“I hope you keep in mind what the city could be returning to, and not put a break on some opportunities that might make that happen,” Kirkland said.

Rather than voting on the ordinance, the council voted to keep the hearing open and continue the discussion at a later date, which has yet to be determined.