Airbnb listings in San Diego have topped 5,000 as the City Council debates rules governing short-term rentals, according to a new report.
Airdna, a research firm specializing in Airbnb data throughout the world, reported 5,286 active San Diego listings in February, including homes, apartments and other dwelling units. An active listing was defined as being live on the website in February or had a confirmed booking in the month.
By comparison, San Diego has 37,000 traditional hotel and motel rooms, according to meeting planner Cvent.
Average daily rates for Airbnb lodging in February ranged from $30 for a shared room to $535 for a 4-bedroom home.
Last week City Attorney Mara Elliott revealed in a memo to a City Councilwoman Barbara Bry that short-term vacation rentals such as those on Airbnb, Home Away and VRBO are not permitted in San Diego under the city’s municipal code.
Elliott wrote that the city has a “permissive zoning ordinance,” which means any use not explicitly laid out in the regulations is prohibited. That includes short-term vacation rentals because they are “not specifically defined, expressly permitted, or listed in any of the zone use categories, including residential or commercial.”
Vacation rentals have been a controversial issue in San Diego, with neighbors complaining about overcrowding and noise from a growing number of properties set aside for visitors — especially in beach neighborhoods.
The city’s planning commission is expected to present the city council’s Smart Growth and Land Use Committee with options regarding a regulatory framework for short-term vacation rentals on Friday.