Unfairbnb.Net – Santa Cruz anti-STR organization
THE MAPS TELL THE STORY
This map below shows the 56 licensed hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts and hostel in Santa Cruz. Notice where these businesses are. They are centered primarily on Ocean Street, Beach Hill and the waterfront. This is good city planning. After 130 years as a tourist town our city zoning has kept the tourist activity out of the residential neighborhoods
The map below shows the 572 short term rentals that we have identified as of April 30, 2017. Notice that the years of planning that kept hotels out of residential neighborhoods is being overturned. This is because short term rentals do not get approval from the city like licensed hotels and bed and breakfasts do. Based on the growth we have monitored Airbnb listings in Santa Cruz are increasing by 5-8 listings per week. There are beach towns in California that are ahead of us.
The map below shows the extent of registered short term rentals as of January 2014. This was before the current Airbnb boom. Notice that in 2014 the short term rental stock in the city was largely in the coastal zone in lower Seabright and along West Cliff Drive. This map is a far cry from the map above it showing how short term rentals have spread throughout the city.