Short-term rentals may soon be prohibited in Beverly Hills following a decision by the Beverly Hills City Council at its July 1 meeting. The council voted 4-1 to move forward with new regulations that would ban single-family properties and multifamily residences in the city from being leased for fewer than 12 consecutive months.
Vice Mayor John Mirisch was the sole “no” vote.
An initial vote on the issue was postponed in January due to a desire by the city to provide temporary housing to individuals affected by the wildfires.
The regulations are intended to curb the use of short-term rentals for loud parties, encourage longer-term residents to move into the city and to increase the supply of available housing.
“It’s really important that we create the stock of availability for people to either get into a home or get into an apartment, and I really see that as part of this,” said Councilmember Lester Friedman. “The state has come down really hard on cities because of lack of availability of rental units, and I really see this as part of that puzzle in making living spaces available.”
Councilmember Craig Corman noted that he sat on the Planning Commission when the original short-term stay ordinance was passed.
“We were aware of the potential downsides of Airbnbs in the city, but we thought we’d give it a chance,” he said. “Obviously, we were wrong.”
During public comment, several residents expressed their desire for an exemption for single-family homes that are designated as historic landmarks. One owner of such a home, Deborah Blum, said she relies on income generated by renting her guest house to pay for costs related to maintaining her property.
Blum requested that a historic caretaker exemption be added to the new ordinance.
“We propose that landmark properties be permitted to rent guest houses for under 30 days, provided the owners maintain primary residence and direct oversight,” she said. “Yes, an exemption would be good for my family; more importantly, it would be beneficial for the city too. Historic preservation drives tourism and economic growth.”
The original ordinance brought before the council on July 1 proposed that single-family homes be prohibited from being leased for fewer than 12 months, and that multifamily units be prohibited from being leased for under six months.
The council directed city staff to draft a new ordinance reflecting a uniform 12-month prohibition and proposed that the Planning Commission work to draft language for historic landmark exemptions.
The ordinance will be brought back before the council at an upcoming meeting for a final vote.
In other business, the council held a so-called “de novo” public hearing review of a new development at 55 La Cienega Drive. The Beverly Hills Planning Commission conditionally approved the project at their March 13 meeting.
City Councilmembers were asked to consider the development as if hearing it for the first time.
The request for the de novo public hearing review was made by then Mayor Friedman and then Councilmember Mirisch on March 27.
The proposed development is for the former site of The Stinking Rose restaurant. The proposal is for a seven-story mixed-use structure that will feature 140 residential units, including 11 very low-income and 11 moderate-income apartments.
It will also feature a rooftop deck with an outdoor bar, pool, lounge and sun deck, and three levels of subterranean parking.
An earlier iteration of the development was approved in 2023; however, in 2024, developer 55 Del Norte, LLC took advantage of new state laws that allow for an additional density bonus and reworked the proposal.
The reworked proposal was conditionally approved in a 3-2 vote by the Planning Commission on March 13.
At the July 1 City Council meeting, Mirisch and Friedman noted that they requested the de novo hearing because of the close vote taken by the Planning Commission.
During discussion, councilmembers reiterated concerns that have previously been voiced by nearby residents, including the new development’s potential effect on parking and noise. However, the council conceded that because the development is in accordance with state law, they cannot deny it.
“These are the moments that, you know, as a council, our hands are tied,” said Mayor Sharona Nazarian. “There isn’t really all that much that we can do to support the residents except for the conditions that we’ve put into place. This project is by right, which means that, based on state mandates that have been placed on the city of Beverly Hills, we need to approve this project.”
The development was approved in a 4-1 vote, with Mirisch being the sole “no” vote.
In other business, the council approved several 2025-26 fiscal year budget items, including funding for the Rodeo Drive Holiday Decor and Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting and the Rodeo Drive Committee’s marketing plan.
A maximum budget of $497,969 was granted to J. Ben Bourgeois Productions, Inc. for lighting, holiday decor and other services for the Rodeo Drive Holiday Decor and Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting. The company has provided these services to the city since 2019. This year’s proposed theme is “Enchanted Holiday Dreams on Rodeo Drive” and it will incorporate inspiration from the Nutcracker Ballet.
The Rodeo Drive Committee will receive a maximum of $184,998 for marketing services, social media, website management and banner production intended to promote its retailers, hotels and property owners.
