In a bid to address concerns about vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods, the San Diego Planning Commission recommends cutting the number of short-term rentals in the city in half.

After years of complaints about loud guests and threats to long-term renters, San Diego leaders are evaluating a proposalto reduce the number of permitted short-term rentals by 50%. "Beyond the disruption the short-term rentals bring with a revolving door of strangers, they destabilize neighborhoods and reduce needed permanent housing supply," Reginald Jones of the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "They should ultimately be banned from residential areas." Homeowners and renters have both expressed concerns about the effects of short-term rentals on neighborhood character and the rental market, citing Airbnb and its ilk as a major driver of displacement, instability, and scarcity for long-term renters.
Other experts seem less sure, asserting that any new policies should balance the needs of property owners with neighbors and other stakeholders. According to Gary London of London Moeder Advisors, eliminating short-term rentals would have almost no effect on the broader housing crisis faced by many Californians. Ray Major of the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) agreed, saying that while short-term rentals do need regulation, property owners who depend on rental income should be allowed to operate rentals "within a set of reasonable guidelines."
The plan, endorsed by the city's Planning Commission, still requires approval by the San Diego City Council.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie