Long Beach, CA – Fed up with disruptive short-term rentals, a Long Beach resident has successfully petitioned the city’s Community Development Department to ban them in his neighborhood.
Andy Oliver, a 50-year-old resident of College Estates, launched the petition after experiencing a year of issues stemming from unhosted rentals next door. “It was a constant stream of tourists,” Oliver said. “This is a residential area, and it was becoming unbearable.”
Oliver’s petition focused on banning unhosted short-term rentals, which are properties listed on platforms like Airbnb where the homeowner is not present during the guest’s stay. He argued these rentals disrupt the character of neighborhoods and create problems like noise, parking issues, and transient activity.
Following four months of gathering support, Oliver’s petition gained enough traction to convince the Community Development Department to enact the ban in College Estates. This victory has inspired similar movements across Long Beach. Petitions are now circulating in nine other communities, including El Dorado Park and Naples, with residents citing similar concerns about disruptive guests and a loss of neighborhood feel.
Stephen Carr, a resident of South of Conant and leader of a local petition effort, described his neighbor’s Airbnb as becoming a de facto hotel. “It was constant loud music, yelling, and parties late into the night,” Carr said. “This isn’t what we signed up for when we moved here.”
The success of Oliver’s petition highlights the growing tension between residents and short-term rentals in many cities. While these rentals can provide income for homeowners and boost tourism, they can also disrupt the peace and stability of neighborhoods.
