In unincorporated inland Santa Barbara County, residential-zone short-term rentals must be homestays - the owner or a long-term tenant (six months or more) must live on the property long-term and be present during guest stays. Non-hosted, investor-only STRs are limited to commercial zones.
Santa Barbara County effectively requires a resident host for short-term rentals in residential zones. The Homestays FAQ asks 'Does someone have to live on the property long-term?' and answers: 'Yes. Either the property owner or a long-term tenant must live on the property long-term. They must also be on the property at the same time as the homestay is occurring. Proof that the property owner or long-term tenant lives on the property is required. A long-term tenant or owner is described as a person who occupies the property as the owner of the property, or who rents the property for six months or more.' This is the defining feature of a homestay: the residence must be someone's actual home, not a dedicated rental. The County's definition reinforces this - a homestay exists only while the owner or long-term tenant 'lives in a legal dwelling on the same lot at the same time as the transient occupant(s).' Purely non-resident, investor-operated short-term rentals are not permitted in residential zones; the LUDC channels non-hosted short-term rentals into most commercial zones instead. The Coastal Zone is not currently regulated. California law does not mandate primary-residence STR rules; this owner-occupancy framework is a County requirement.
Renting a residential-zone property short-term without the required resident owner or long-term tenant living on the lot is not a valid homestay and violates the LUDC, subject to County zoning enforcement.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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