Santa Monica convicts its first Airbnb host under tough home-sharing laws
Santa Monica has become amazingly expensive, but the town has rent control that is even more draconian than SF. For example, unless the lease prohibits adding additional occupants, rent controlled units can be passed from one resident to another without much restriction, as long as original lease is in effect.<p>Ellis evictions require huge compensation sums.<p>As the result, available rental stock is minuscule and prices are rivaling SF. Due to this supply restrictions, what little AirBNB activity goes on, it actually impacts the overall market substantially.<p>Similar situation is in Venice (city of LA).<p>As a condo owner, Santa Monica makes me very uneasy - if I fall on hard times, I may have no choice but to sell, or risk never being able to re-occupy my own home again or have to pay an extortion to do so...