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Local Residents Voting YES on Measure B

Cathedral City spent over a year studying the impact of Short Term Vacation Rentals (STVRs) on neighborhoods. They heard from members of the public, and the real estate investors that run the businesses. They set up a task force, held study sessions, and considered the matter at multiple council meetings.

It quickly became apparent that 75% of the complaints the city received originated from whole-house rentals in our most popular family-residential neighborhoods (zoned R1 and R2). Residents had many horror stories to share.

Loud, alcohol-fueled parties destroy the peace of mind of residents. Every stranger on the block is seen as a potential new ‘stranger danger’ concern for parents protecting their children. Every pile of trash, every loud argument in a backyard or on the street takes away the feeling of safety and security. While not every renter behaves this way, residents who have lived through weekends of bad behavior dread every future weekend – never knowing who is going to be right next door, or what they might do.

STVRs in communities like Desert Princess where they have a Home Owner Association (HOA) have far fewer complaints because they have onsite security and staff to control bad behavior. Only one in four complaints was about an HOA property.

In October 2020, by a unanimous (5-0) vote, the city adopted a compromise ordinance to address the complaints and the needs of local residents for safe and peaceful neighborhoods, while ensuring well-managed STVR businesses could go on operating in HOAs.

Hear what Mayor John Aguilar had to say at the special council meeting that approved the new ordinance.

Loud, alcohol-fueled parties destroy the peace of mind of residents. Every stranger on the block is seen as a potential new ‘stranger danger’ concern for parents protecting their children. Every pile of trash, every loud argument in a backyard or on the street takes away the feeling of safety and security. While not every renter behaves this way, residents who have lived through weekends of bad behavior dread every future weekend – never knowing who is going to be right next door, or what they might do.

STVRs in communities like Desert Princess where they have a Home Owner Association (HOA) have far fewer complaints because they have onsite security and staff to control bad behavior. Only one in four complaints was about an HOA property.

In October 2020, by a unanimous (5-0) vote, the city adopted a compromise ordinance to address the complaints and the needs of local residents for safe and peaceful neighborhoods, while ensuring well-managed STVR businesses could go on operating in HOAs.

Local Residents Support Ordinance

Residents are pleased with the compromise legislation. It phases out STVRs in two family residential zones, while supporting the expansion of STVR accommodation at any community that is locally administered by an HOA.  STVRs in those residential zones have until January 1, 2023, to convert to longer-term (31 days or more) rentals, or to sell those properties.

“HOAs are free to permit as many STVRs as they wish.”

Council member Nancy Ross has since suggested that the city could work with developers to build new HOA communities dedicated to this business model.

In addition, the city ensured those in residential neighborhoods who simply want to rent a spare room or casita for the weekend could do so – they term it “home sharing”. With home sharing arrangements, the owner of the property remains present to deal with any issues the renters might cause.

“Residents want to rent a room out for a few days  – and they can. Measure B supports this.”

The city also increased oversight of existing STVRs, adding a staff of six to monitor these businesses, and respond to calls from local residents about criminal and other unacceptable behaviors.

Real Estate Speculators Forced Expensive Election

The industry has a different view. Most STVRs are not local businesses. Typically these rentals are operated by absentee owners or out-of-town property speculators. They don’t live in the community, and have no interest in seeing residential areas thrive as a community. Their motivation is profit, not community spirit. They refused to work with the council, and rather than accept this compromise legislation, paid signature gatherers to promote a petition to overturn the ordinance.  Residents report how they were lied to by the signature gatherers.

Listen here to one of the hired signature gatherers blame the ordinance on “the Governor of Cathedral City” and claim it is a complete ban on STVRs. expensive ballot measure to decide the fate of the ordinance.

Having gathered the signatures, the business owners left the city with no choice but to schedule an expensive ballot measure to decide the fate of the ordinance.

At a time when residents are already suffering economic hardship through COVID, the STVR owners’ political maneuver has cost the city over $100,000 dollars just to organize the election.

Local Residents Join Together to Fight the “The Big Guys”

Our city is home to thousands of hard working families and retirees. They want a safe, secure and healthy place to live. They want a community; a place to call home. They want to be able to raise children without having to explain the bad language and drunken brawls at the house next door. They want a real neighborhood where friends and family coexist, helping and supporting one another; not a neighborhood where strangers constantly come and go next door. They are fighting out-of-town businesses with far greater financial resources. But they are not simply going to stand by. They will not let these speculators control the debate. This is not a partisan issue, but it is a local resident issue. Several past mayors, all city council members, police, firefighters, nurses, teachers – ordinary residents of the city – support the ordinance that was approved.