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Mayor Valerie Amezcua Mayor Pro Tem Thai Viet Phan Councilmember Benjamin Vazquez Councilmember Jessie Lopez Councilmember Phil Bacerra Councilmember Johnathan Ryan Hernandez Councilmember David Penaloza City Council Chamber 20 Civic Center Plaza M-30 Santa Ana, CA 92701 Re: April 2, 2024, City Council Meeting — Item 21 — Urgency Ordinance and Ordinance Prohibiting STRs Dear Mayor Amezcua and Honorable City Councilmembers, We understand that during the April 2, 2024 meeting, the City Council plans to consider an Urgency Ordinance, and conduct a first reading of an Ordinance (together, "the Ordinances"), that would have the effect of completely prohibiting short-term rentals ("STRs") in the City of Santa Ana. This extreme approach is largely unprecedented in California. As a coalition of homeowners who have been legally operating our homes as STRs in the City for several years, we strongly oppose the Ordinances. Staff is bringing this issue before you immediately following the Easter holiday without any meaningful stakeholder engagement and without any evidence that STRs in the City are causing the harms that purportedly justify the prohibition. While we recognize that local regulation of STRs is an emerging area of the law that is being considered and debated by cities and courts throughout the country, we fervently disagree with the City's approach under consideration. It is not just that the proposed prohibition is harmful policy —although it certainly is. It is that the proposed prohibition violates state and federal law. Should the City move forward with adopting the Ordinances, we will fight for our property rights, our constitutional rights, and the access rights of our guests. As we detail in this letter: • Courts across the country and in California have confirmed that STRs are, by default, existing, lawful residential uses of property. • The proposed prohibition would illegally terminate existing, lawful residential uses of property that offer STRs. • The proposed prohibition would severely infringe on constitutional rights.