Too many of those who want to profit from a vacation rental service like Airbnb never really check to figure out if a sublet of this type is legal in their communities. In Los Angeles, a sprawling city with dozens and dozens of independent municipalities, that can be a problem.
The question of whether Airbnb and short-term sublets are legal in Los Angeles depends a lot on the neighborhood that a property owner or renter is in. In general, some Los Angeles zoning laws prohibit short-term sublets in “purely residential neighborhoods” — when a neighborhood is zoned commercial, it can be easier to operate an Airbnb sublet business legally, but that doesn’t mean that property owners are out of the woods.
Proposed Limitations On Airbnb Sublets In Los Angeles
Citywide, there is a movement backed by the City Planning Commission to limit short-term rentals to 180 days annually for primary residences and 15 days per year for vacation property. Anyone planning to rent out their homes should check for updated city ordinances as well as Airbnb’s page that lists updated requirements for each city.
Locals in many Los Angeles neighborhoods argue that excessive use of short-term subletting is eroding some of the residential environment of their communities. With that in mind, Los Angeles municipalities do have laws limiting where and how Airbnb can be used, and it’s important for those who are trying to use Airbnb to understand its limitations. Homeowners’ associations and neighborhood boards can also limit Airbnb use and subletting in Los Angeles. Anyone planning to rent out their home should check their association rules.
In addition, those who are renting properties have to understand whether their lease allows for subletting. Landlords who want to stop illegal subletting must have strong lease provisions to control it and then monitor the situation to make sure that there is no illegal subletting on their property. Monitoring services help landlords to make sure that a set of properties is being occupied in the way that is spelled out in the lease. Take a look at how this app can help property managers in L.A.