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Avoid a vacation catastrophe! If that property that you booked with Airbnb or VRBO happens to not be a legal vacation rental, you could possibly have it shut down by the local officials before you arrive or during your stay.  Before you book that getaway to Santa Barbara, make sure your vacation rental you plan to rent is legal, otherwise it might disappear faster than snow in summer with ramped up City of Santa Barbara and County of Santa Barbara enforcement coming!

If you are planning a trip to beautiful Santa Barbara, make sure you are aware that currently there are many illegal rentals in our city/county which could essentially leave a traveler with no place to stay if the city shut them down. Before you book your stay, it’s important to ask one question: Is the vacation rental I am renting legal and licensed? Ask for the city or county license number and verify! It is so important to know if the vacation rental you are renting is a legal and licensed vacation rental in Santa Barbara because enforcement actions are coming and they will be swift in shutting down illegal operators.

Let’s start with the basics. Properties located ONLY within the coastal zone AND licensed (which means collecting and remitting taxes to the City and County) are actually legal to rent for less than 30 days. They have a license number and are responsible property owners/managers. Any property outside of this zone is not officially licensed unless it went through a hotel conversion process like one property we manage in downtown Santa Barbara, Villa Castillo. If a listing seems too good to be true, inexpensive or has no taxes listed, then it is likely outside of the coastal zone and not a legitimate option.

Unfortunately, some property management companies are also bad actors right now in listing homes deep in Montecito (illegal to rent less than 30 days) or outside the coastal zone (use the south side of the US 101 as a sort of guide and below Cliff Drive on the Mesa -ocean side only). See map…gray area is not legal to rent less than 30 days UNLESS they have gone through the hotel conversion process (City of Santa Barbara zoning ordinance non coastal zone properties).

So how do you make sure that your trip is secure and no last minute cancellation would happen due to city/county enforcement?

Book with us! At Haller Coastal Homes, we ONLY list homes that are legal and licensed, meaning that you can rest assured knowing your stay will be above board and compliant with local regulations and any taxes collected for your stay are remitted to the proper authority.

The bottom line? It pays to know if the vacation rental you are renting is a legitimate option in Santa Barbara. With our commitment to 100% compliance with local regulations plus unbeatable amenities included in each rental, Haller Coastal Homes should be at the top of your list when booking your next stay in beautiful Santa Barbara!  Book today and don’t miss out on all that our stunning coastline has to offer!

<<MAP LINK>>  Anything in the “gray” area is illegal to rent less than 30 days without a registered TOT number at the City and collecting/remitting taxes for stays less than 30 days.

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