By RSF Post
December 8, 2017
The RSF Post’s December Newsletter featured articles by Covenant residents who opposed the RSFA Board’s proposed rental regulations. Given the high volume of community feedback, the Association decided to postpone the vote until further notice.
The RSF Post received a lot of direct community feedback too, so we decided to share some of our readers’ thoughts with you. What do you think? We’d love to hear from you.
From Betsy Heller
Thank you for the newsletters!
I have really appreciated reading about what is going on in our ‘hood from different perspectives!
Like many others here, I am a fulltime Realtor and I have been dismayed about the effect the CDRC is still having on our home prices along with the internet and school issues that I have heard countless clients relate to me as they explain why they DON’T want to live in RSF.
It is terrific to see the positive approach you have taken in opening up a forum for better discussion and awareness.
Betsy Heller
From Ed Batts & Robyn Hudgens
We are the owners of 7017 Las Colinas. While we have no intention of doing short-term rentals (nor have done so in the past), we are philosophically strongly against unnecessary regulation and further encumbering property owner rights. Short term rentals occur today in the Covenant and have not disrupted our community. This regulation looks to be a solution in search of a problem. The bar to regulation should be very high – and if short terms rentals are truly disruptive, there are other means of enforcement, such as noise complaints and nuisance law. This regulation is yet another problem with imposition of unnecessary control on the community which in turn depresses property values. We oppose this regulation and further interference with property rights.
Ed Batts & Robyn Hudgens
From Anonymous
Hello. I don’t have time to get into a long response as to why I believe this new regulation and many existing regulations are opposed to the best interests of the community, nor do I wish to attend a shouting match on December 7.
Let it be known that I vehemently oppose this new oppression desired by the board.
From Seth Surnamer
I am writing this regarding the proposed Rental Regulation that is currently being considered for RSF.
I am a homeowner in the Covenant since 2000. We live in a wonderful community but can’t see the need to address this issue with more regulations, monitoring and fines. The majority of the homes in RSF are on multiple acres of land with relatively minimal neighbor interaction if that is what the owner desires. There must be some reason that this issue has all of a sudden drawn significant attention by our board. There must be a better way to address these situations than more regulations and fines.
Why does it matter whether a homeowner decides to rent out their guest house or rooms in their homes for vacation rentals? As previously stated, the majority of homes are on over 2 plus acres. If there are noise complaints/violations that should be covered by other rules currently in existence. Homeowners should be responsible for following Covenant Bylaws and rules and regulations and anyone they rent out any portion of their property should also be aware of them but making more rules just doesn’t seem necessary.
#4 in rental regulations – Why can’t a portion of a dwelling be rented? San Diego is currently experiencing a significant housing shortage, coastal cities are allowing more granny flats and low income housing opportunities.
If someone wants to rent out a guest house or rent a room because they are just helping someone else or are having trouble paying bills, why does the association have to be involved? I don’t understand how this becomes part of a rental regulation and whether it is even legal to stop owners from renting out portions of their homes.
#5 and #6 – It sounds like we will now be paying someone to monitor and levy fines – I can think of better ways to spend assessment funds or utilize staff time.
#7 – That is a lot of information that is being asked to provide. Do we have all of that information for every homeowner. I don’t understand why we as a community feel we need to have more rules and be more restrictive. Are we also going to ask every resident to notify when they will be having overnight visitors that bring any gift over $150 because that could be considered a short-term rental too?
As you can probably tell, I am against any new rental regulations. We are fortunate to live in a great community and I don’t see the need to become even more restrictive than we have been in the past. Please address the situations that have come up in a way that will not become a broad brush solution.
Thank you,
Seth Surnamer
Homeowner
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