In a recent decision, the Burbank City Council voted to uphold its ban on short-term rentals across the city, signaling tougher regulations for property owners looking to bypass the rules. This move effectively closes the door for homeowners hoping to earn extra income by listing their properties on platforms like Airbnb.

With the rise of vacation rental platforms like Airbnb and VRBO as alternatives to traditional hotels, many Burbank homeowners have turned to short-term rentals. However, there’s one major roadblock: it’s not allowed.

Adding to the issue, the city’s existing rules make it difficult to penalize homeowners who operate unpermitted short-term rentals. Currently, enforcement largely depends on resident complaints, meaning many properties operate under the radar.

Despite the city’s prohibition, there are an estimated 400 unpermitted short-term rentals operating in Burbank, according to city officials. In the past two years, the city’s Code Enforcement has fielded 174 complaints related to these illegal rentals, yet many continue to evade detection due to the lack of an efficient enforcement mechanism.

“Enforcement is challenging because rental platforms don’t list specific property addresses,” explained Vanessa Quiroz, a senior city planner. “Our current approach is reactive, relying on complaints to address violations.”

Recognizing the need for more proactive measures, the City Council directed planners to draft new regulations, including heftier fines, to improve compliance.

Why the Ban?

Burbank is not alone in grappling with the short-term rental issue. Neighboring cities like Pasadena and Glendale have adopted varying approaches, with Pasadena allowing all types of rentals and Glendale permitting only hosted rentals, where the property owner is present during the guest’s stay.

Burbank, however, has struggled to meet state housing quotas, and officials argue that using homes as short-term rentals exacerbates the housing shortage, driving up rental costs.

“If properties are being diverted from long-term housing, we need to act,” said Mayor Nick Schultz. “Burbank has plenty of great hotels. Visitors are welcome, but we want to preserve our housing stock for residents.”

Stepping Up Enforcement

The City Council is now looking to improve enforcement, which currently relies on residents reporting noncompliant properties. Under the existing system, violators face a modest $100 fine, but councilmembers see room for tougher penalties.

“Our $100 fee is too low,” said Councilwoman Zizette Mullins. “We need to explore what other cities have done and consider increasing fines.”

City staff were tasked with researching enforcement strategies from other municipalities and will report back with recommendations. The council also floated the idea of hiring an additional enforcement officer and collaborating with platforms like Airbnb to include reporting features for noncompliant properties.

The motion passed unanimously, and the issue is expected to return for further discussion before the year’s end.