San Rafael, CA – On September 6, a new County of Marin ordinance went into effect about short-term rental properties intended to ease year-round resident concerns.
Short-term rentals, often arranged through online companies such as Airbnb and VRBO, are popular places for visitors to stay in Marin, especially in coastal communities. Not all residents have been happy about that, citing that vacationers sometimes create problems for the year-around residents regarding noise, trash, and parking.
On August 7, the Marin County Board of Supervisors passed Ordinance 3695, establishing neighbor and tenant notification regulations that could be understood by property owners, neighbors and guests of short-term rentals. Under the new ordinance, notification of a short-term rental in unincorporated Marin County must be provided to neighboring properties within 300 feet of the rental through readily visible signage on site or a written notice such as a letter or door hanger. The notification needs to provide the contact information to report an issue, including a local contact person.
The owners of short-term rentals also are required to inform tenants about how to meet requirements of the Marin County Code related to noise, trash, and parking. The rental owner must post house rules inside the rental property or provide a “good neighbor” brochure at the time of a renter’s arrival.
A hired vendor is providing and monitoring a complaint hotline, documenting incidents for the County and notifying the rental’s local contact person of issues. The hotline number is 415-300-4445. In addition, issues may be reported online at hostcompliance.com/tips.