Opinion

Don’t hand San Francisco over to Airbnb

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is poised to approve legislation that would legalize short-term stays in private homes that are negotiated through a number of online reservation systems.

This is a shortsighted action that would destroy the integrity of zoning throughout San Francisco, allowing commercial and hotel use in residential areas throughout the city. The board compounded this poor decision by rejecting a number of commonsense amendments that would have vastly improved the legislation.

If the board passes this bill, I urge Mayor Ed Lee to veto it and ask the board to re-examine the amendments it rejected that could make short-term rentals workable while still protecting the residential nature of the city.

One amendment rejected by the board would have prohibited these rentals in residential, single-family neighborhoods. The board then rejected a compromise amendment to permit this activity in these neighborhoods subject to a 90-day limit for both hosted and non-hosted rentals.

As a former nine-year member of the Board of Supervisors and nine-year mayor, I know firsthand the merits of strong zoning laws. They protect residential areas so they can support families and be free of commercial activities that are not related to neighborhood needs.

This home-sharing legislation blurs those lines and provides for residential housing to be leased out for hotel use. As such, those of us who value the residential character of our neighborhoods and are invested in the city’s quality of life will see all of this washed away by a blanket commercialization of our neighborhoods.

It’s no secret that San Francisco is one of the most expensive cities in which to live. The legislation approved by the board will encourage property owners and renters to vacate their units and rent them out to hotel users, further increasing the cost of living.

Simply put, this bill will further increase already sky-high rental costs.

Finally, in 2012, the San Francisco treasurer and tax collector ruled that short-term rentals to tourists must incur the city’s hotel tax that all other visitors pay to cover costs of public services and amenities.

The tab for back taxes for Airbnb rentals alone is estimated at more than $25million. Another commonsense amendment to collect those back taxes prior to this legislation taking effect was rejected by the board.

I believe there is a compromise solution, but it does not involve handing over the key to the city to Airbnb and other short-term residential rental companies.

We must protect the integrity of San Francisco and ensure that taxes that are due are paid in full. The board should re-examine this legislation and take another shot at getting it right.

Dianne Feinstein represents California in the U.S. Senate.