Yesterday, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to approved CD4 Councilmember David Ryu’s motion to instruct the City Attorney to draft new regulations for so-called “party houses,” to control abuses of residential properties for frequent parties, film shoots and other third-party rentals in private homes.
“The issue has become so acute that entire houses are being built for the purpose of hosting weekly parties,” said Ryu’s press statement yesterday. “Further, the process has now become even easier, and thus more harmful, due to the rise of short-term rental platforms and the ease with which an individual can now rent a “party house.””
“My goal is to protect the quality of life of our residential neighborhoods and to prioritize public safety. Egregious Party Houses represent only 1% of the homes in my hillside communities, however, we must provide LAPD more effective enforcement tools that will bring relief to the 99% of residents who are besieged by these inconsiderate neighbors. These new tools will save taxpayer dollars while streamlining enforcement.”
The problem isn’t just limited to fancy hillside homes. Residents in nearby Beverly Grove have recently been battling a homeowner with a large “McMansion” that’s actually listed on Airbnb as “party house.” The home is also marketed for photo and film shoots, having as many as one to two a month. The owner of the home has reportedly bullied neighbors who have tried to stop the rentals, including threatening a lawsuit. For these resident, the new rules can’t come soon enough.
Ryu is asking that the proposed new rules include the following elements based on a successful ordinance passed in Newport Beach:
- Define additional activities typically found at an unruly party as a ‘nuisance per se,’ which LAPD can identify as being associated with a “Party House”;
- Provide for escalating fines for successive violations to both the party host and, crucially, the property owner;
- Require posting a public notice of violation on the property, which will notify neighbors that the property is under a violation period of a set number of days, and where additional unruly parties will lead to higher fines or even criminal charges for excessive numbers of violations;
- Include liens on properties for property owners who fail to pay fines;
- Include additional fines for commercial events or parties held at a residential unit;
- Include a prohibition on any home-sharing or short-term rental activity during a posted notice of violation period;
More detailed information is contained in Councilmember Ryu’s letter to the Planning and Land Use Management Committee and Ryu’s City Council motion.
