The City of Malibu has received 205 applications for its new short-term rental permit program; out of those, 182 have been approved for permits.
The permit system was created by Malibu’s short-term rental ordinance, an ordinance that was in the works for more than half a decade and only passed in 2020. Some residents had long complained about Airbnb and other home sharing companies encroaching on their privacy and transforming Malibu into a “city of hotels,” although the practice of renting out homes in Malibu is a decades-long norm among many families. This ordinance now requires Airbnb and other short-term rental operators to adhere to stringent rules, one of those being that each owner must apply for a permit each year.
“Advertising or operating residential property as a short-term rental without a permit as of January 15, 2021 will be considered a violation of Ordinance No. 468 and Malibu Municipal Code Chapter 17.55. The short-term rental of property or the advertisement, offer, or facilitation, of such rental without a valid short-term rental permit shall be subject to a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per day or violation, or twice the advertised short-term rental’s daily rental rate per day or violation, whichever is higher,” the city warned online.
Short-term rental owners may apply for a permit any time on the city’s STR web page. They can also email STRSupport@malibucity.org or call the support line at 310.456.2489 ext. 381.