Costa Mesa council receives, does not adopt proposal to temporarily lift short‑term rental ban for LA fire victims

The Costa Mesa City Council on Jan. 28 received and filed a proposal to temporarily lift the city's 2021 ban on non‑hosted short‑term rentals to provide housing options for residents displaced by recent Los Angeles County wildfires.

The proposal, introduced by Mayor Stevens and discussed at length with City Attorney Hall Barlow, would have opened a limited, temporary pathway for non‑hosted short‑term rentals for people displaced by the Palisades/Altadena fires. Instead the council voted to "receive and file" the item, effectively declining to enact a temporary lifting of the prohibition; the motion carried 5–2, with Mayor Stevens and Council Member Pettis recorded as voting no.

City Attorney Hall Barlow reminded the council of the local history: a moratorium on new short‑term rentals was approved Nov. 10, 2020 and later extended; the standing ordinance enacted in 2021 currently prohibits all non‑hosted short‑term rentals in Costa Mesa except grandfathered, existing owner‑occupied home‑sharing uses. Barlow also noted legal and administrative constraints the city would face in crafting an emergency temporary exception.

The discussion shifted from humanitarian intent to practical concerns. Mayor Stevens said the idea was intended "to provide additional options for those affected by the firestorms," and suggested a short time frame to limit unintended impacts. Council Member Bealey (spoke in the record as Bealey/Bewley) and several public speakers pushed back, saying displaced households are likely to need long‑term housing rather than a succession of short stays and warning that lifting the ban could reduce long‑term rental stock and reignite problems the prohibition was meant to address.

Several council members and staff outlined possible constraints and implementation mechanics. Barlow said the resolution could be written with a fixed time window and geographic limits (ZIP‑code restrictions were discussed as feasible to insert in an implementing motion), but that enforcement would remain largely complaint driven under the city's current code enforcement model. Mayor Stevens suggested a 90‑day or six‑month window; other council members and members of the public recommended a 90‑day limit and ZIP‑code restrictions limited to the neighborhoods directly affected by the fires.

Members of the public urged different responses. Residents who had pushed for the original local short‑term rental prohibitions described recurring nuisance parties and neighborhood disruption, arguing that reopening the market would worsen local housing availability and quality of life. Speakers representing housing advocacy and tenant groups, including Becca Ayala of Better Neighbors LA, warned that short‑term rental conversions reduce long‑term housing supply and urged strict limits if the council were to proceed.

Travel Costa Mesa staff (Paulette, referenced during the meeting) reported limited hotel availability, estimating hotel occupancy usually runs about 70–80% and noting limited group business bookings reduced short‑term hotel availability immediately after the fires. Staff said there had been no confirmed…