Letter was sent to applicable City officials asking that Venice have a seat on forthcoming shared community work group and that Venice be considered as a large part of shared community analysis.

The shared community or short-term rental (STR) market grows in size in proportion to the beach proximity. But it is blossoming throughout Los Angeles, particularly near tourist attractions.

In Venice short-term rentals (STR) are illegal with the exception of property zoned commercial. Venice has no R-4 zoning which is the lowest in density to allow the short-term rentals. So unless property is zoned commercial, it is illegal. Yet, Venice residents or entrepreneurs operating STR businesses in Venice are subject to a 14 percent hotel tax. Some pay; some don’t. It is illegal but one must pay the tax!

It is big business and it is growing. Many claim that the short term market eliminates a neighborhood. It becomes a hotel, not a group of houses with long-term occupants, all of whom know each other. One has to ask himself: Would I want to live next door to a house that is used as a short-term rental?

Real estate brokers Tami Pardee and Denise Fast were queried regarding such. When selling a piece of property, one has to disclose any problems with the property. Both brokers were asked if a short term rental in close proximity had to be disclosed. Both said no

“No- that is not necessary unless there is a nuisance like barking dogs or loud noises,” messaged Tami Pardee.

Denise called and also said the problem would be noise.

So from this, one can decide for himself whether to disclose or not when selling. Is that short-term rental a party house that makes a lot of noise? It seems fortuitous in this age of litigious people, one would be wise to consider such

Many questions arise regarding the short-term rental market. The answers have not been forthcoming because the market has grown rapidly, particularly in Venice. It has affected the value of properties that are to be used as short-term rentals and all the other properties in close proximity,

It has affected the rental market because owners want to make the big bucks, and in so doing, this has taken much of the normal rentals off the market. Supply and demand.

Letter follows:

Attn: Sharon Gil and Richard Williams

Re: Council File 14-0593 Sharing Economy-letter requesting focus on Venice as a distinct residential community/Venice community impact statement general comments

Dear Members of the Sharing Economy Work Group,
Please be advised that at a regularly held public meeting of the Venice Neighborhood Council (VNC) Board of Officers, on September 16, 2014, the following Motion was approved as part of the Consent Calendar by a 14-0-1 vote:

MOTION:
The VNC Board shall send a letter to the L.A. City Council Sharing Economy Work Group
recommending and making it very clear that the Venice Community deserves to be included in
preparing the Work Group’s report and recommendation to the City Council; and that the VNC Board recommends that as the L.A. community most severely negatively affected by short-term rentals that City Councilperson Mike Bonin strongly support us in having a seat at the table of the Work Group; and further, the VNC Board recommends that the CAO, CLA and other members of the Work Group focus on the positive and negative impacts of the recent exponential expansion of the short-term rental market on Venice as a distinct residential community of the City of L.A., and that they carefully research and analyze the impact of non owner-occupied short-term rentals on the availability of long term housing stock in Venice, the number of rent controlled units in Venice, and on the quality of life and socio-economic diversity in Venice’s residential neighborhoods (including commercial zones with rent-controlled properties).

Approved by LUPC on 9/2/2014 by a vote of 7-0-0
Supporting Documentation:
www.venicenc.org/sharing-economy-short-term-rentals/

Mike Newhouse