Santa Barbara isn’t a town that needs to be cut up, bought, and sold every day of the week. It’s perfectly fine for visitors to stay in hotels. It’s also fine for people who want to accommodate visitors to invest in the hospitality industry.
I think putting the responsibility for accommodating visitors on homeowners is wrong.
Hospitality is what good hotels provide. That’s what the City of Santa Barbara should aim to provide for the tourist industry.
Regarding folks coming or not coming to Santa Barbara, the short-term rental piece is flawed. People aren’t going to stop coming to Santa Barbara because we don’t have enough garage apartments to rent. If Santa Barbara becomes more exclusive, hotels will make more money. The city will make more money on the bed tax.
Speaking of which, those short-term rentals should be available for people who want to live in town on a long-term basis.
