Giant parties, illegal bonfires and other nuisances that have driven many residents to dread short-term rentals like Air BnB in their neighborhood — and which were already forbidden — aren’t going to be tolerated in San Bernardino County any longer.
That’s the message behind a package of changes by the Board of Supervisors targeting short-term rentals, which they say have proliferated in the past few years.
Effective since the June 22 vote, fines are going up for hosts who operate a short-term rental without a permit or whose guests violate code requirements. Supervisors also voted in June to beef up staffing for code enforcement officers whose duties include keeping short-term rentals compliant.
Fines for violating the short-term rental rules are now 10 times as high. Rather than $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second offense and $500 for the third offense within 12 months, those fines are now $1,000, $2,000 and $5,000.
Those rules, designed to stop rentals from disrupting neighborhoods, are explained when someone applies for a permit, but until now many never signed up for a permit. That’s part of what the county is now fixing, said Supervisor Dawn Rowe.
“If you’re a short-term renter who’s paid for a permit and you’ve gone through the process, you’ve spent money to create a safe environment,” Rowe said. “You learn a lot about what is and is not allowed and what creates a safe environment. Then you have others that don’t go through that process. (They) put the guests at risk and it is not a fair playing field.”
The fine for running a short-term rental without a permit is now $1,000 per day.
Homestead Modern, which manages 40 properties in the High Desert, supports the increase because it improves the perception of all short-term rentals, said co-owner Robert Brada.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that short-term rentals that don’t respect neighbors are a problem for the community,” Brada said. “We have a lot of staff and procedures to make sure guests understand the rules, so when other managers are problematic, it gives our people a black eye.”
Homestead Modern — which specializes in high-end vacation rentals — reminds guests of the rules and has someone available 24/7 to handle complaints. That’s part of the county’s requirement, Brada said, but from what he sees few follow it.
“The rare times we’ve had complaints of stuff, we’re able to respond very quickly, and if it’s really a problem, get them to stop,” he said, noting that people also sometimes complain about things that aren’t against the rules.
The Morongo Basin, including the Joshua Tree area — represented by Rowe — has seen an explosion of short-term rentals in the past few years, observers agree. Mountain areas have also seen many more listings on Air BnB, Vrbo and similar websites.
Many seem to assume that since they’re far from the city, it’s safe to start a fire or disturb wildlife, said Steve Bardwell, president of the Morongo Basin Conservation Association.
“They’re out in the desert to party,” Bardwell said. “Trash, light, noise pollution, just generally being inconsiderate. People tell me (rental guests) are starting big bonfires, with no consideration of the fire risk.”
Bardwell is also concerned that an increasing portion of the homes in areas like Joshua Tree are being bought as investment properties, eroding the sense of community and worsening the housing shortage.
“We need to have a very clear accounting of how many short-term rentals there are, how many have applied for permits and have yet to receive them,” he said. “Park rangers, teachers, athletes, even families are finding there’s no housing available.”
Curt Hagman, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, pushed during the meeting for a longer educational period before people are hit with heavy penalties, but county staff members noted that the permit requirement was adopted in 2019 and has been widely advertised.
Hefty fines are necessary to serve as a true deterrent, Hagman said.
“A $100 fine, you can build that into your business model even if it’s happening all the time,” he said during the meeting.
Old fines
1st offense: $100
2nd offense: $200
Third offense: $500
New fines
1st offense: $1,000
2nd offense: $2,000
Third offense: $5,000
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