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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) \u2014 Short-term rentals aren\u2019t allowed to operate in the city of Bakersfield. Go on any major vacation site though, and you\u2019d believe otherwise.<\/p>\n
$220 for a weekend in the Panorama Bluffs? Not bad.<\/p>\n
\u201cShort term rentals are not currently allowed under the city\u2019s municipal code, and the council is considering a ordinance that would change that, that would allow them to operate,\u201d Joe Conroy with the City of Bakersfield said.<\/p>\n
\u00a0City of Bakersfield seeks over $14M construction contract for H Street improvement project\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Ward 4 Councilman Bob Smith said while the city has discussed options to handle short-term rentals in Bakersfield over the years, the number of these properties has also continued to grow.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve talked about it for multiple years and the amount of them continues to grow,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWhen we first start talking about it was 300 and then 400. Now, you know, 500-plus.\u201d<\/p>\n The council discussion will tackle noise, trash and parking, along with less available long-term housing options with more and more of these rentals popping up across the county.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ordinance would create some regulations for these properties, how they are operated, how they\u2019re managed, and make sure that people are being safe, they\u2019re being good neighbors, and that, you know, it\u2019s just being operated in a polite and proper way,\u201d Conroy said.<\/p>\n Rental operators would need to get a permit from the city<\/a>, which would be valid for one year and renewed if the owner didn\u2019t receive two or more citations for noise or rowdiness.<\/p>\n These rentals could also generate millions of dollars through new taxes and ease competition on the existing hospitality industry.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s hotel tax, transit occupancy tax would apply to them, same as what it does to hotels, whereas now they\u2019re not paying that,\u201d Smith said. \u201cSo really, the hotels are at a disadvantage as far as competition goes.\u201d<\/p>\n The discussion of the ordinance would also place several new restrictions on these rentals.<\/p>\n