Shooting in Desert Hot Springs raises concerns about vacation rentals
News Channel 3 has learned new details following a shooting on Halloween night that involved a home on Flora Avenue and Cholla Drive in Desert Hot Springs.
The home was, at the time, a licensed vacation rental with Airbnb. Police said no injuries have been reported, but the home was damaged.
Interim City Manager Doria Wilms said the investigation by police into the incident remains ongoing. However, she said the City has a "zero tolerance" policy for such incidents and terminated the listing's short-term rental permit the day after the shooting.
Meanwhile, community members, including Councilmember Russell Betts, have raised concerns about safety when it comes to vacation rentals, as well as calls for tighter regulations on these properties.
On Tuesday, the Desert Hot Springs City Council is set to adopt an ordinance amending the following vacation rental regulations:
- Institute a citywide cap on STVR Licenses at 4% of total housing parcels with developed housing units.
- Restrict New Applications (not renewal of existing licenses) for an STVR License from being within 500 ft., measured front door to front door from existing vacation rentals in the City.
- Realign regulations for vacation rentals for Noise, Trash Cans, and Parking to the same regulations used for Residential Properties in the City.
- Modify the Occupancy Regulations for vacation rentals.
- Require Vacation Rental Platforms to remit TOT directly to the City; Remove Vacation Rental advertisements from their platforms for illegal or non-compliant operators when requested to do so by the City.
“I’d like to see some type of lottery system as other cities have done to reduce the number of homes in the already saturated neighborhoods,” according to Councilmember Betts.
Stay with News Channel 3 for more updates.
