City of Del Mar introduces short-term rental ordinance

DEL MAR, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — The city of Del Mar has introduced a new ordinance meant to preserve long-term housing supply while supporting short-term visitors, following similar actions by other communities within the county.

Last May, the city of San Diego’s new rules for operating short-term rentals went into effect, revisiting the previous ordinance signed into law in 2021 that capped short-term vacation rentals at one percent of the city’s housing supply. Earlier this year, town council members in Pacific Beach discussed their own community’s rental ordinance.

The new ordinance introduced in Del Mar, voted on unanimously by the city council on Monday, is expected to be adopted on Sept. 23. Click here for more information about the short-term rental ordinance.

It caps the number of short-term rentals in the city at 129, which according to a release Wednesday equals five percent of all of Del Mar’s available dwelling units based on data from the 2020 U.S. Census.

Any future increase in capacity would be subject to approval by the council and the California Coastal Commission, the release stated.

In order to obtain a short-term rental permit in Del Mar, property owners would need to sign a self-certification document, stating that the unit follows all applicable regulations and laws including regarding safety.

Owners must register existing units in Del Mar by Dec. 31 and apply for a short-term rental permit within 60 days of when the ordinance goes into effect. The city said owners must also agree to live in the units for at least half of the year as their primary residence.

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