Monterey County and the California Coastal Commission have now adopted ordinances regulating short-term rentals. While this is an important milestone, STRs continue to pose serious risks to the stability and character of our Big Sur community if not carefully enforced.

For decades, the Big Sur Land Use Plan has recognized that housing here is not just scarce—it is vital for maintaining a living, working community. STRs remove long-term housing from the market, driving up prices and making it nearly impossible for local residents and workers to live here. At the same time, they intensify tourism impacts—more traffic, noise, parking congestion, and emergency-response pressures—all of which erode the very qualities that make Big Sur unique.

The ordinances set important limits, including:

• Banning Commercial Vacation Rentals in residential zones to preserve neighborhood character.

• Requiring that Homestays be tied to a primary residence, ensuring accountability and neighborhood oversight.

• Minimum stay requirements to reduce high turnover and disruptions.

• Phasing out non-compliant permits so that all operators are held to the same standard.

These protections are not about “banning” tourism—they are about ensuring tourism is sustainable, fair, and balanced with the needs of those who call Big Sur home.

Moving forward, strong enforcement will be critical. Without it, loopholes and non-compliance will continue to undermine the ordinances and threaten our community’s future. STR revenues, including transient occupancy tax, should never outweigh the priority of preserving housing for locals and maintaining the integrity of the Big Sur Coast.

Big Sur is not just a destination. It is a living community, one that depends on the careful enforcement of the Land Use Plan and the new STR rules. We urge residents and visitors alike to understand these policies and support their enforcement—so that Big Sur remains a place where people can live, work, and thrive, not just visit..