Eight months after Santa Monica City Council members voted to ban short-term rentals and fund an enforcement office, the city said it has issued citations on about 650 violations, with approximately 548 of those going directly to the short-term rental platforms Airbnb and VRBO.
The fine for violating the city's ordinance is $500, up from $75 last year, said Salvador Valles, assistant director of Planning and Community Development.
Valles would not comment on whether Airbnb and VRBO had paid any of the fines, nor would the companies.
When asked, Airbnb provided the following statement, "Santa Monica's clumsily-written law punishes hosts who depend on home sharing to make ends meet or travelers looking for low-cost accommodations along the coast. While we've responded to the city's notices, we continue exploring all options and remain hopeful that the city will revisit these misguided rules that harm middle-income Californians."